Technical Support
by Roll286
Summary: In a world where eighty percent of the population possesses an abnormality called a Quirk, the superhero occupation becomes a reality. The spotlight and main role is heavily sought out, but one girl prefers to play the supporting role instead. Rejecting the notion of becoming a "hero," she becomes the much needed support of one boy absorbed by his own complexes and insecurities.
1. Chapter 1

_A couple of young boys were playing in the park. They had found small tree branches and were trying to fashion them into slingshots. Placed on the ground were rows and pyramids of empty cans, creating a makeshift shooting range._

 _A mother and her daughter entered the park, and the young girl immediately took notice of the group of boys._

 _Noticing the girl, a young boy with dark, green hair called out "Aya-chan, come play with us!" Another boy with spiky, ash blond hair scowled at him. "What are you doing, Deku!? That's a girl! She can't play with us!"_

 _The brown-haired girl walked over and asked, "Why can't I play just because I'm a girl?" The boy scoffed in response, "Don't you girls play with dolls and stuff? We're making slingshots and shooting at those cans! You wouldn't know anything about this!"_

 _The boy who first called her over tried to defend her. "Kacchan! Don't be mean! Aya-chan knows how to make lots of stuff! Her dad's a mechanic!" He swerved his head to where the girl was standing for confirmation, only to be met with an empty space. "Eh?"_

 _He searched for her and the girl was already talking to her mother. The green-haired boy frowned, a little upset that he wouldn't be able to play with his friend. The blond-haired boy laughed in triumph. "Ha! Told you so! Girls only play with frilly things!" He went back to trying to fix the rubber band onto the tree branch to make the slingshot, becoming frustrated because he was unable to._

 _His focus was soon interrupted when the young girl walked back over. "What do you want now!?" She ignored him, picking up a fallen tree branch that was vaguely in the shape of a 'Y'._

 _She took the two thin, elastic hair ties she asked her mother for and broke them using her teeth. Having been broken, she used them like strings. She took one and tied it to one part of the tree branch, and she did the same for the other hair tie on the other side. She then took out a handkerchief and ripped a square piece of it off. She ripped two holes into the piece, on the left and right sides. She took the untied ends of the hair ties and pulled them through each of the holes of the handkerchief, then tied a knot so that they wouldn't fall back out, creating the 'pocket' of the slingshot. Her creation was complete._

 _She took a pebble from the ground, placed it into the handkerchief pocket, pulled back, and took aim. When she released her grip, the pebble flew straight into the middle can of the bottom row of the pyramid, knocking all of them down._

 _The small group of boys were watching in silence throughout the whole process, and they now looked at her in awe. "WOOOOOAAAHHH! That was amazing! You got 'em all in one shot!"_

 _They crowded around her, asking questions of what she did to make the slingshot since they were all having trouble finding a way to make the 'sling' portion of the weapon. They also didn't even consider making the pocket portion for the projectiles, so they were amazed at that as well._

 _The young Midoriya looked back at Bakugou, the only one who didn't run and crowd the young girl. "See, Kacchan? I told you Aya-chan is good at making stuff!" The blond glared at him, causing him to immediately close his mouth._

 _He was angry and absurdly so. Not only was this nerd right, but he was also bested by someone else – a girl even! He marched over to her and snatched the slingshot right from her hands as she was explaining its mechanics. He took aim at the other pyramid of cans and was able to knock them all down just like she did. Feeling proud of his accomplishment, he placed both hands on his hips._

" _Wow! That's amazing, Bakugou! You got 'em all in one shot too!" The boys were now crowded around the blond._

 _Looking over at the girl, he expected to see her crying. Girls usually did when he stole their toys or whenever he beat them at something. He was surprised, however, when all she did was look at the fallen pyramid in awe._

 _This boy was able to use her slingshot with ease and did it perfectly! He even did this all without even knowing how to make a proper slingshot. "Wow…" She breathed out. She turned to him and smiled slightly. "You're really good!"_

 _She hadn't shown any emotion up until this point. He was shocked when she said this with a smile. He even blushed a little. Quickly recovering, he rubbed the area under his nose with his index finger and smirked. "Of course I am! I'm gonna become the number one hero someday!"_

 _Before the girl could respond, a loud voice was heard. "Hey, brat! It's time to go home!" The blond boy grumbled and started picking up his belongings._

 _The girl's own mother came to fetch her as well. "Sorry, sweetie! I just got a call from your father, and he's going to be home early today!" The older woman noticed the slingshot, particularly the parts used to make it. She gave the little girl a reproachful look, knowing exactly where those parts came from._

 _The girl looked down in shame and apologized, "Sorry, mama…" The mother sighed and smiled. She couldn't stay mad for long. "Goodness! You and your father are exactly alike. You two will pick apart and put together anything if it satisfies your creative minds!" The mother laughed and held her daughter's hand._

 _As they were leaving, the girl and green-haired boy waved to each other. "Goodbye, Izu-kun!" He responded, "Bye-bye, Aya-chan! Let's play again tomorrow!" She nodded her head and then turned to look at the blond boy with his mother._

 _She called out to him, making him turn around with an irritated look on his face. "My name is Sasaki Ayano. What's yours?" The boy remained silent, refusing to answer her. He was nudged by his mother as she said, "She's asking for your name, brat!" He turned his head away in defiance, still remaining silent._

 _The girl was completely unfazed. She continued, "If you'll be the number one hero someday, I want to know your name!" The boy's eyes widened and he turned back to her. He gave a toothy grin._

 _ **"I'm Bakugou Katsuki! You better remember it!"**_


	2. Chapter 2

"Morning, Aya-chan!" Midoriya greeted when the girl exited her front door. She barely mumbled back an acknowledgement, focusing on and prodding the trinket in her hands instead. The two teens started their walk to school.

The boy glanced at the gadget and asked, "Another one of your creations?" He was used to her inattentive attitude. She was always working on something, always taking apart machines, always thinking of new ideas. Her passion for machinery rivaled his own for the number one hero All Might.

Of course, she didn't completely neglect her friend. He played a big role in her creations, often testing them out with her. She claimed that if he was going to become a hero, then he should at least have the proper gear to do so and that she would be the person to create them for him.

He appreciated her support, even when her inventions were a little wacky and especially when she supported his aspirations to become a hero when his own mother initially didn't.

He looked at the decently sized gadget in her hands. There were a lot of parts to it that he couldn't possibly begin to understand what they were for. All he could notice was that the main part of it was a tunnel shaped object about the size of the scope of a gun. Before he could ask what it did, Ayano pressed a button and a sudden burst of air launched from the opening of the tunnel right at her face.

The air pressure was so strong that it blew her hair in all directions, making it look like she just got out of bed. She started tearing up from the sudden wind in her eyes. "A-Aya-chan!?" Midoriya yelped in surprise.

"It works…" The green-haired boy sighed at her response. It was just like her to completely disregard everything for her inventions, even her own safety. Just like he only thought about All Might, heroes, and how to become one, she only thought about inventing things.

"So, I'm guessing it's a weapon for shooting out air?" Midoriya asked. The girl shook her head, fixing her hair in the process.

"Not quite. It takes the surrounding air and subjects it to high pressures, then releases it in the forward motion. Originally, it is not meant to be a weapon, but I suppose it could be utilized as one. Do you remember the news about the fire that happened downtown?" The boy nodded and grew excited. "Yeah! The pro hero Backdraft came in and used his water cannon to douse the fire! It was so cool how far up it could shoot, and he did it all by himself!"

"Right, but do you know why he had to step in?" She asked. Midoriya just blinked at her. "…Because he's a hero…?"

Now it was her time to sigh at him. With his fanboyish nature for heroes, of course he would only pay attention to them and not the supporting characters.

She explained, "He works at the fire department, but why was he dousing such a big fire by himself when we have regular firemen? It's because the fire was too high up. The regular hoses didn't have enough pressure to project the water so high, so Backdraft had to use his water cannon to douse the fire himself. In this day and age, policemen and firemen are ridiculed for having so called 'old-fashioned' professions for safety when we have superheroes. Due to this, there has been a somewhat lax attitude towards public safety and equipment for non-heroes."

Midoriya caught on. "Oh! So, this is a machine that can make enough pressure to shoot water up that high?"

She responded, "Precisely…Although, not quite. As you saw earlier, that is nowhere near enough pressure to shoot water up an eighty to ninety story building. At best, this machine could probably create enough pressure to go up to forty stories…but only once." She added as an afterthought.

The boy tilted his head in confusion and asked, "Only once?" She nodded, seeming to finalize her statement. "The device itself has enough power to create the pressure. The outer casing, however, does not provide enough strength to contain it. If anything, it would shoot out the water but would most likely explode in the process."

Midoriya shrieked, quickly backed up, and held his arms in front of him, protecting his face. "A-A-Aya-chan! That's dangerous! You could've hurt yourself just now!"

She spared him nothing but a side glance. "Relax, I have it set to low. Also, if I already know it's too dangerous to put at maximum power, do you really think I'm stupid enough to do it?" Midoriya lowered his arms and replied, "Uh…yeah. Sorry, I didn't think about that. But wow! That's really neat, Aya-chan! You could help so many people with that!"

Ayano smiled at his statement. "That's the point." Midoriya also smiled. Ayano didn't show much emotion since she was always focused on building things. Even when she did, it was always somehow connected to her inventions. She would become frustrated when something didn't work, or she would smile when it did.

Her best smiles, however, were the ones when she knew her inventions worked and helped those in need.

It was that kind of joy that was driving her to apply for the support department of different high schools.

She continued looking at the gadget as they walked. "Hmm. I just need some advice from a professional as to what kind of material could contain that much pressure…" Her ramblings were interrupted by a loud explosion near them.

Midoriya gasped. "An explosion! It sounded like it was by Tatooin Station! Then a hero…!" He dashed off before he finished, Ayano quickly following after him in worry, although it didn't exactly show on her face.

"You need to calm down. One of these days, your obsessive attitude for heroes is going to get you killed." Midoriya laughed and responded, "I could say the same to you with your inventions! You just said that thing could blow up!"

She scoffed at him. "This is different. At least I _know_ what I'm getting myself into. Every time there's a crime happening, you recklessly run in to see your beloved heroes without any thought." He was going to answer, but his attention was immediately diverted when Kamui Woods appeared. He whipped out volume thirteen of his hero analysis to take notes.

Instead of taking notes on Kamui Woods, he ended up taking notes on the new hero Mt. Lady who stole Kamui Wood's thunder. Noticing his fanboy attitude, another civilian wished him luck on his journey to become a hero. Feeling happy about this, he turned to look for his friend. "Aya-chan! Did you hear that...Eh?"

At the spot where she should have been was just an empty space. He looked around for her, spotting her approaching the hero Backdraft. She tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "Excuse me, sir. May I ask what material your cannon is composed of? Also, how much pressure can it sustain? Is it a part of your costume? If yes, what support department created it? Or is it merely an extension of yourself?"

"H-Huh?" This was Backdraft's only response to the girl's sudden barrage of questions. He was normally just accustomed to interview questions or requests for his autograph. He'd never encountered someone who took such a massive interest in his water cannon of all things.

Midoriya rushed up to the two and quickly tugged on Ayano's arm. "A-Aya-chan! W-We have to get to school!" He pulled her away and bowed to the hero in embarrassment. Ayano sighed, "I informed you that I need more advice on my creation, and that was the perfect opportunity."

The green-haired boy smiled but lightly chided, "That's a pro hero, Aya-chan! He's busy with a lot of things like saving people. You can't bother him with so many difficult questions!"

"Perhaps, but I doubt you would restrain yourself if you were in a similar situation with All Might." She teased. Midoriya just blushed and tried to change the subject. "The man next to me saw me taking notes and wished me luck on becoming a hero!"

"Is that so…That's nice." Ayano slowly became detached from the conversation, once again tinkering with her tunnel like machine. Even so, Midoriya knew she supported him all the way. There was a small gait in his walk to school, happy that he got to see so many heroes in action and could add a new addition to his notes.


	3. Chapter 3

The pair sat at their desks next to each other, pulling out their own things to pass the time. Even with the whole mishap at Tatooin Station, they had arrived early. Midoriya opted to continue writing in his "Hero Analysis for My Future" notebook. Ayano continued to work on her pressure gadget, but she pulled out a whole new array of materials from her bag.

Now having a desk to work on, she could properly modify her whole invention. Midoriya glanced at her work to see what looked like a bionic arm cover. It seemed to be a mix of an exoskeleton arm and a gauntlet – not able to cover enough of an arm to be called a complete gauntlet but it also didn't cover so little to be called an exoskeleton.

It was altered in some places, but the boy recognized it as one of her previous inventions a couple months back. It was a sort of rope launcher that could shoot far and fast. He had tested the grappling hook on a branch of a tall tree, and he was pulled up so quickly he almost vomited. He also recalled the memory so vividly because he ended up being stuck in that tree for a couple hours, not knowing how to get back down and not willing to use another of Ayano's inventions.

"Did you change something on that?" Midoriya asked curiously. "Yes, I'm capitalizing on its pressure output. I used this mechanism for the basis of the pressure tunnel. I also modified it so that I can attach the pressure tunnel on top, effectively combining the two equipment." She answered all while still entirely focused on connecting the proper wires.

Midoriya's eyes sparkled. "Wow! Then it'll really feel like Backdraft's water cannon!" He then paused and furrowed his brows, realizing that he had only seen the device shoot out air. "Where does the water come from then?"

"I'm working on that. As of right now, it has not completed its purpose, but it is fully functional." To prove her point, she pressed a button causing one entire side of the mechanical arm to open. She slipped her arm inside and the machine closed, securing itself to her arm. Before Midoriya could react, she aimed her arm, now attached with the wind tunnel, and shot a gust of air at his face.

He shrieked in surprise. There was no pain, but the act was completely unexpected and it blew his already messy hair into a bigger mess. "Aya-chan!"

"It works…" Midoriya laughed at her antics and was about to say more but the teacher entered, following the ringing of the bell. He began talking about their futures and career forms, so Ayano completed zoned everyone out. Instead, she continued working on her bionic arm.

Her focus wasn't kept for long though because of Bakugou's constant yelling. It seemed like that boy didn't have any clue what an inside voice was. Ayano chose to ignore him as she was accustomed to, but she realized that wasn't an option when the teacher revealed Midoriya's plans to apply to U.A. High School.

She sighed in annoyance. At least she could see if the rope launcher of the bionic arm still worked. Opening the cartridge, she removed the hook of the rope and reset the machine.

"I-I wasn't saying I could compete with you! Not at all! I-It's just been my dream since I was little…and there's no harm in trying…" Midoriya trailed off.

Bakugou exploded more. "Try?! Try what?! The entrance exam?! You think this is so—GAH?!" He was about to launch himself at Midoriya, but his voice and air circulation were cut off by a sudden rope constricting his wind pipes. He could only move his head slightly, but he could clearly see that Ayano was standing behind him, her right arm stretched out and the rope leading into the machine on her arm.

He clawed at the rope around his neck, intending to burn it off with his quirk when Ayano's voice stopped him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. That rope is made of nylon. It's an excellent shock absorber, and it doesn't burn well. **It melts**. So, unless you want nylon melted onto your skin, I would calm down."

"Sasaki! How many times have I told you not to test your inventions on other students! And Bakugou, the use of quirks in school is prohibited!" The teacher chastised them both. Ayano simply looked at him and retracted the rope. Bakugou had a coughing fit, desperately trying to take in air.

Ayano walked past him and lent a hand to Midoriya. "Th-Thanks, Aya-chan…" As they walked back to their desks, Ayano and Bakugou glared at each other.

Happy that the rope launching mechanic of her device was still as good as ever, the young inventor continued to pay no attention to the lesson and worked on the machine instead.

The last bell rang for dismissal, and everyone started packing up. Ayano was about to leave with Midoriya, but she got called over by a teacher. The girl hesitated, looked at Bakugou still at his seat, then back at Midoriya. Her face didn't change at all, but the green-haired boy could easily tell that she was worried. "I-It's fine, Aya-chan! Don't keep the teacher waiting!"

She kept looking into the boy's eyes, waiting to see if he would change his mind, but he stood his ground. "I-I'll just go on ahead, okay?" He reassured her. The girl still took a few moments, but ultimately nodded and followed the teacher out.

* * *

"Sasaki-kun, are you sure you don't want to apply to U.A.'s Support Department? You have one of the brightest engineering minds this school has ever seen! Even without a quirk, I'm sure you'd pass their Support Department entrance exam with flying colors!" The teacher looked up at her from the seat at his desk, her filled out career form in his hands.

Wanting to show him at least some respect, Ayano held in her sigh. "Please excuse my next words, sir. With all due respect, I'm almost positive you all just want me to attend U.A. so that this school will have the reputation and honor of saying that they have had a student get accepted into that prestigious high school."

The teacher opened his mouth to object, but Ayano held up her hand, silencing him. "You can lie to me all you want, but there is no need for it. All middle schools nowadays are like this. Addressing why I _don't_ want to go to U.A.: the main priority of that school is to produce top-notch heroes. It is only logical to assume that most of its funding and efforts would be directed to its Heroics Department then. You are already aware that I have no interest in becoming a hero. As such, I would much rather go to a school with low publicity that would fit my needs than a school with high publicity that doesn't."

At her lengthy explanation, the teacher had no retort ready. Noticing this and wanting to quickly get back to the classroom because she was still worried about Midoriya, Ayano bowed to him and left without another word.

Some teachers were still walking through the hallways, so Ayano could only speed walk back to the classroom without getting scolded. A couple of feet away from the door, she could hear Bakugou's voice.

"You wanna be a hero so bad? I've got a time-saving idea for you. If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life, go take a swan dive off the roof!" The blond boy turned to casually walk through the door only to be met with a sudden electric shock at the center of his chest, not noticing that Ayano was just outside.

The girl had given him a hard palm punch into his chest, the small device in the center of her palm delivering an electric current to shock him. The pain was so immense that his mouth was open in a silent scream. Ayano simply walked past him, towards Midoriya.

One of Bakugou's lackeys yelled in shock, "What was that?!" Without sparing him a glance, she answered, "A modified joy buzzer."

She grabbed Midoriya's wrist and dragged him out while still ignoring Bakugou.


	4. Chapter 4

Midoriya and Ayano walked out of the school in silence. Midoriya was clearly upset about what happened, and Ayano just tinkered with her 'modified joy buzzer.' They passed by where his notebook was thrown.

As he was picking it up from the water, she could hear his angry mumbling. "Idiot! If I really jumped, you'd be charged with bullying me into suicide! Think before you speak!" Ayano's eye slightly twitched.

"Do you not think it's a bit weird to be concerned about a boy who basically just told you to commit suicide?" She asked him in disbelief. Midoriya continued waving the notebook back and forth to try drying it as much as he could.

He responded, "Kacchan is trying to get into U.A. and become a hero. He'd be a great one if he would just stop and think about his actions!" Ayano sighed at him. His admiration of heroes and all things related to heroics knew no bounds.

"So, you really meant what you said before?" She raised an eyebrow at him. He returned her look with a face full of confusion. He had no idea which part she was referring to. She elaborated, "You said you have no intention of competing with Bakugou at U.A. You truly mean that?"

"Of course, I do! I don't want to compete with him, I just want to try the entrance exam and become a hero…" He trailed off.

Ayano shook her head in disappointment and continued walking. "Can someone really become a hero without looking at what's in front of them…" She mumbled. "Aya-chan?" Midoriya asked but the girl chose not to answer.

Midoriya kept looking at the girl, trying to figure out if he should really ask this. He resolved himself and went with it. "Aya-chan, aren't you also concerned about Kacchan?" She answered without hesitation, "Of course. If he keeps up this aggressive attitude, he'll get himself killed in no time. I would lose an excellent specimen, beta tester, and even a future client."

Her last words confirmed the boy's suspicions. She _did_ think that Bakugou could become a hero, so she must have had concerns about him in ways past her own supposedly selfish ones. "I'm right then! You also admire him! And I think you're concerned about him as a friend too, even if you don't consider yourselves friends."

She gave him a deadpan look. "What makes you say that?" Midoriya grew uneasy at her unwavering gaze. "W-Well, when we were kids, you and Kacchan were always close…" He glanced at her and her stare prompted him to explain.

"You were the only girl that Kacchan would even go near!" Ayano scoffed. "I should think that a more apt observation would be that I was the only girl that could even stand him."

Midoriya flinched at her fast dismissal of the notion. "M-Maybe so…But…But you looked like you both enjoyed each other's company!" Ayano stopped walking.

Midoriya continued, "Kacchan would always boast about becoming the number one hero someday and you would always say that your inventions would help him get there. He'd always deny it, saying he didn't need anybody's help, but he never refused to test out any of your homemade weapons…"

He stared into Ayano's eyes. "If anything, you guys always looked so happy, working together to achieve a dream!" There was a sparkle in the boy's eyes, reminiscing about the times that all three of them had been friends – before Bakugou's quirk had manifested and before he gained a twisted superiority complex.

The brown-haired girl only continued to stare at him, giving no other movement to indicate that she acknowledged his insinuations. She could clearly remember the times that he was referring to.

* * *

" _Wow! Kacchan, you're so good at the monkey bars!" Young Midoriya exclaimed. Young Bakugou smirked and pointed at himself in the chest with his thumb. "Of course, I am! I'm gonna be a hero, so I should at least be able to do that. You can't even go one lap on them!" The boy ridiculed him._

 _Midoriya looked down in embarrassment and fidgeted with his hands. "I-I'm trying my best! I'll be able to do it someday if I keep trying!"_

" _Yeah, right!" Bakugou taunted. Ayano, having finally been satisfied with her work, joined the two. She walked past Bakugou and stood in front of Midoriya. She wordlessly held out a pair of weird looking gloves to him._

 _Wary of the gloves but not wanting to be rude, Midoriya accepted her offer cautiously. He looked at her for confirmation and when she nodded, he put them on. Not knowing what to do next, he gave her a questioning look. "Do the monkey bars." She ordered._

 _At her prompting, Midoriya carefully climbed the ladder. He began hanging and slowly moved forward rung by rung. His arms usually wore out by the eighth rung, so when he got close to it he closed his eyes tight, trying to put as much effort as he could to hang on._

 _Obviously unable to amass miracle strength, Midoriya's arms gave out. Yet, he didn't fall. He opened his eyes wide, realizing that he wasn't putting in any effort at all to hang on but was still dangling._

 _He looked up at his own hands gripping the bar, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Growing impatient, Ayano called out, "What are you doing? Finish the lap!" Successfully knocking him out of the shock, Midoriya was able to finish the monkey bars for the first time._

 _When he landed, he held out his hands in front of him and admired the gloves with a smile. Bakugou was certainly less than happy. He growled, "Deku! What did you do!? Were you pulling my leg the whole time, huh?!" The blond boy charged at him._

 _Midoriya quickly backed up, raising his arms in defense. "I-I didn't do anything! I-It was Aya-chan's gloves!" Bakugou roughly grabbed the boy's wrists. "Be careful with those!" Ayano scolded._

" _What did you do?" Bakugou asked, although it sounded more like a demand. Getting a glint in her eye, the brown-haired girl was more than happy to explain._

" _I made gloves to improve grip! Even if your arms get tired, as long as you are holding onto the bars, these gloves will hold onto them for you!" Both the boys looked at her in confusion, not understanding how gloves could do that._

 _She continued, "You know how geckos can climb walls and stuff?" They nodded. "I read in a book that they can do that because they have really strong grip! The book said it's because they have a lot of tiny hairs on the pads of their feet!"_

 _Midoriya shivered in disgust at the information. "T-Tiny hairs?!"_

 _Bakugou looked at her skeptically. "Geckos don't have hair, idiot!"_

 _Ayano looked back at him defiantly. "Yes, they do! The hairs are so small that you can't see them! Anyways, I wanted to make something like that into gloves for humans. I asked my dad where I could get millions of tiny hairs and he got me this stuff called nanofibers! He helped me put them into gloves and now they work just like geckos!"_

 _The green-haired boy looked at the gloves in amazement. "Woooow! Aya-chan you're amazing!" He handed the gloves back to her. Bakugou crossed his arms and looked away. "Hmph! Who needs some stupid gloves anyways! A hero can be great without some dumb gear!"_

 _Ayano frowned at him. "I made these gloves for you, you know!" The blond boy's eyes shot wide open and he gawked at her. "F-For me?!" He shouted in disbelief._

 _The girl nodded. "Yeah! You're always trying to beat your record of laps on the monkey bars, saying that the best hero could easily do a thousand or something like that. I think you can become a great hero, so I made these to help you!" She then looked down at the gloves, a very slight hint of sadness on her features._

" _W-Well, I already said a great hero could do that by himself…" He looked away to hide the small blush on his cheeks. "But…I **guess** I could help you…test them out…"_

 _Ayano's head shot up. She gave a toothy smile. "Okay!"_

* * *

She blinked a few times, recovering from her thoughts. Midoriya stared at her, clearly anticipating a positive response.

Ayano broke eye contact with him and continued walking forward. "If Bakugou wants to continue his goal of becoming the number one hero, then he can. What he aims for is of no concern of mine. I will simply be here if he wants some sort of support item or weapon. I would gladly make these for anybody else, should they request it. Bakugou is no different."

Midoriya's eager posture deflated and he gazed at her back in disappointment. Clearly, he was hoping for a different answer – one, where Ayano would actually express genuine concern for the blond. He decided not to push anything further and just continued walking with her.

Ayano, however, was still thinking about it. It's true, she saw Bakugou as a valuable asset to her goals. Many of her early inspirations and inventions came to fruition because of him and his (un)willingness to test them.

She saw him as more than that, though. Deep down, she knew she wasn't being honest with herself. As a child, Ayano followed Bakugou around because of his deep aspirations – aspirations so strong, they rivaled her own. It gave him a certain type of charisma, one where she wanted to see just how far he could actually go.

This was rare amongst children their age. All children have dreams, but these two had _**goals**_. They had incredibly deep desires and great ambitions.

Finding this common ground between them, Ayano took it upon herself to help him achieve his goal while simultaneously achieving her own. She thought that if anybody could succeed, it would be Bakugou with his extreme perseverance, and she would be part of the reason why. It was this kind of feeling that made her want to one day join a support company.

With her technology, she wanted to help people but more importantly, **_she wanted to help Bakugou_.**

She wondered just when exactly her and Bakugou's hero/supporter relationship changed to its current, slightly rocky situation.


	5. Chapter 5

The two friends reached a street crossing when Ayano spoke. "You can go on ahead. I have business to attend to."

Misunderstanding her intentions, Midoriya grew frantic. "O-Oh no! D-Did I cross the line earlier!? I-I didn't mean to upset you! I just thought you mi—" The girl held up a hand to silence him.

"Relax, I am not upset with you. I have an appointment with a support company around here. They are affiliated with one of the schools I wish to apply to and they have agreed to let me come see some of their facilities." She reassured him.

Midoriya smiled. "That's great, Aya-chan! You're already doing so much…" He looked down at the still damp notebook in his hand. He was feeling slightly down on himself because of Bakugou's words, and Ayano's early actions on her dreams only made him feel as though he were inadequate for his own goals.

The brown-haired girl laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her. "You're going to be a hero just like All Might, aren't you?" Midoriya's eyes widened. The fact that she said, 'going to be' instead of 'want to be' showed just how much faith she had in him.

The boy teared up at the thought. He quickly rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve to dry the tears before they could fall. He gave a determined nod, and Ayano gently smiled in return. "Then, how are you going to reassure me?" She asked

"With a dependable smile, even through adversity!" Midoriya exclaimed, giving a bright smile. He turned around and began to run off for home. "Thanks, Aya-chan!" She kept her eyes on him until he was out of sight, then turned to walk off to her own destination.

Ayano walked through the building's gigantic doors and walked up to the receptionist. "Good afternoon. My name is Sasaki Ayano from Oridera Junior High School. I have an appointment to tour your facilities today."

The receptionist beamed. "Oh, yes! I'll call down your guide right away! You can have a seat here." She motioned to the many chairs and sofas in the lobby.

Her guide soon walked through the elevator doors, gave her a standard greeting, and walked her through the building. Ayano grew more and more excited throughout the tour. She had very limited options, working with what she could find at home and what her father could lend her.

She was one of the many that were eager to go to high school. Whereas most were excited to learn heroics, she was excited about expanding her support items. She would finally have the means and mechanics to create more complex devices.

Her guide saved her the room she was most enthusiastic about for last. "And here is where we conduct experiments for costume requests from hero high schools." Ayano's eyes sparkled and she couldn't contain her smile. This was probably one of the moments where she easily showed the most expression in her life.

Still staring into the room through the window, she asked, "The students of Ketsubutsu Academy request their costumes to be made here, correct?" The guide blinked in confusion, but then opened his mouth in realization.

"Oh! Actually, we have recently changed policies and we are no longer affiliated with Ketsubutsu Academy. Instead, we will be affiliated with U.A. High School!" He revealed excitedly.

Ayano finally tore her eyes away from the many machines and looked at the guide in disbelief. "U.A.? The number one school for heroics. _That_ U.A.?" The man nodded. "Yes! It seems they were a bit unsatisfied with their previous support company, so now they have agreed to make a contract with us!"

"I see…" She thanked the man for his time and proceeded to walk back home in deep thought. " _This certainly changes things…Perhaps U.A. is taking their other departments more seriously. Regardless, they are a top-notch school in almost every aspect. Maybe I shou—_ "

Her thoughts were interrupted by loud explosions from nearby. Thinking that it was another villain, Ayano contemplated whether or not she should go to the source because of her concern for Midoriya being in the vicinity.

She shook her head, continuing to walk back home. " _No, that tour was thirty minutes long. Surely, he would have made it home by now._ "

She stopped again. " _However, if he somehow didn't make it home yet, he **would** be crazy enough to turn around and look for the heroes fighting this villain..._"

Ayano turned around again, walking towards the sound of the explosions. She picked up her pace, turning into a jog and then turning into a full out sprint.

"Midoriya Izuku, I hate you so much…" She muttered.

Seeing a huge mass of people and scorch marks on the sides of buildings, she knew this was where the villain would be. Not being tall enough to see over all the people and not wanting to push through them, she hopped up onto the street railings for a better view.

As soon as she got a slight overhead view, her eyes widened in horror to see Bakugou being engulfed by a sludge-like monster and Midoriya dashing straight in to help. "Izuku!"

It was too late, he flung his backpack at the villain and was trying to grasp at the sludge. Noticing that none of the heroes were helping and realizing she had no time to hesitate before both of the boys were killed, she strapped on her bionic arm to her right hand. She launched the grappling hook at full speed, puncturing into the side of the wall nearby.

She retracted the rope, pulling herself towards the wall and soaring over the heads of people. "Aya-chan!" Ignoring Midoriya, she took out her modified joy buzzer and threw it towards the sludge monster, throwing it to the side furthest away from where Bakugou was.

The villain and Bakugou both screamed in pain, but it was short. The shock from the buzzer wasn't enough to incapacitate the monster. The villain turned to her. "Another pest! Stop getting in my way!" He lunged at her.

Having no other options left, the girl detached from the wall and quickly changed her bionic arm to strap to her left hand. She set the power to its maximum range and aimed the wind tunnel at the villain coming towards her. She held onto her left arm with her right hand, preparing for the kickback.

An incredible amount of air pressure shot out of the tunnel at the villain, leaving a gaping hole in him, but also leaving some holes in the girl's flesh. Not being able to completely withstand the air pressure, the device exploded on her arm. The two boys looked on in horror. " ** _AYANO!_** "

The combined pressure of the air and the explosion pushed her far back. As she was falling back, she could see All Might punching the sludge monster to oblivion through her rapidly blurring vision.

She felt the arms of someone catching her and she could feel some rain droplets on her face. The person who caught her was shouting for something, but she couldn't make out what because the explosion from earlier affected her hearing. Everything was surrounded by a ringing noise.

Ayano was fading in and out of consciousness, fighting to stay awake to make sure that Bakugou and Midoriya were safe. She felt herself being put onto a gurney and put all of her effort into turning her head to the side.

She saw a blurry Midoriya running to her, Bakugou further behind him. "Ayano!" Midoriya called to her with tears in his eyes. Her eyes were half shut, twitching and fighting the pain. She gave him a weak smile.

"G-Glad…you…K-Ka…chan…s-safe…" She barely choked out before she completely lost consciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

Upon the beginnings of her arousal, Ayano's first thoughts were brought to the searing pain within her left arm. The next thing she felt was the very distinct smell of disinfectant alcohol permeating her nose.

She scrunched her face up because of the pain and the odor, notifying her parents that she was finally awake. "Ayano!" Her mother shouted out first. The girl just barely opened her eyes, having to squint due to the lingering stinging in her arm and still needing to adjust to the light. "M-Mother…" She weakly acknowledged.

The older woman sighed with relief. "Thank goodness! Your father and I were so worried about you. You had to get surgery done and you've been out for almost a week!" She informed. Ayano then noticed her father. Though mostly stoic as usual, there was a slight furrow to his brow that revealed his concern.

"Ohhh, I _really_ want to scold you for your recklessness! But given the circumstances, I can't be mad at you for too long. I'm just so glad you're safe now!" Her mother gently hugged her as she slowly got up, taking great care to avoid the injured arm.

Her mother continued, "You were in such critical condition that you weren't allowed to have visitors for some time. Poor Izu-kun visited almost every day but you still weren't awake. Speaking of which, I should call to let the Bakugou's and the Midoriya's know of your condition!" Whipping out her phone and beginning to walk out the door, "While I'm at it, I'll go tell one of the nurses that you're finally conscious. Just rest up, sweetie!"

The hospital room returned to its previous silence with her mother's departure. The father-daughter pair simply stared at each other. Ayano, with her normally impassive expression and her father with his. The slight furrow in his brow earlier now indicated slight irritation rather than concern.

Ayano was the first to speak. "I will apologize for not taking care of myself more and for worrying you both, but I do not regret my decision. Were the same situation to occur, I would gladly sacrifice my arm again." She continued to meet her father's cold gaze, never wavering.

He was the first to relent, going back to his stoic expression. "…It would've been better to use tungsten instead of titanium." His deep voice gave her comfort. His suggestions on her invention indicated that he, too, believed that what she did was the best course of action she could have taken. It was another way of telling her that she wasn't wrong to help, but she should still focus on how to avoid such situations.

She was relieved at the change in topic and his acceptance. Her mood brightened, as it always did when she talked to her father about machines. Ayano followed his line of sight to the nightstand next to her, noticing for the first time the scorched remains of her bionic arm with the attached pressure tunnel.

"I chose titanium for its low weight and high strength. I did consider tungsten since it is stronger, but I believed titanium's high tensile strength-to-density ratio was too valuable." She explained.

Her father hummed in appreciation of his daughter's efforts, but still stuck by his beliefs. He looked at her injured arm. "However, titanium is a poor conductor of heat. Not good for transferring it. The material absorbs too much heat in one place, wearing it out and leading to more severe burns."

Ayano looked down to her left arm for the first time since waking up. It was covered in bandages, a cast, and then put into a sling. "Value safety over speed." She nodded firmly at her father's advice, keeping a mental note to transfer this information to her notebooks when she could.

The girl was disappointed in herself. She knew of the dangers, and yet she didn't think far enough ahead to prevent them. Ayano believed that she never would've needed to use the device at max power before she adjusted it to actually handle it. This was clearly not the case, making her realize that she must be prepared for anything in this volatile world of heroics and villainy.

Her father could see the gears turning in her head as she quickly got over her disappointment in favor of coming up with ideas on how to improve her work. There was the slightest tilt of his lips, and he placed a large hand atop her head. Ayano looked up at him at this action, giving him a soft smile of gratitude.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Expecting to see the return of her mother, Ayano was surprised to see a pro hero. "Oh, so you _are_ awake. I'll have to thank Recovery Girl later for letting me know when to visit." The man mumbled to himself.

"How are you feeling, kid?" He finally addressed her. "Much better, thank you." Ayano replied respectfully.

"Good, good. I'm—" "Power Loader, the Excavation Hero…who also happens to work at U.A…" He paused at her interruption, noticing her slight fascinated tone. "Guess I don't need to waste time on introductions, then." He strolled over to the nightstand, inspecting her broken and scorched invention.

"I saw the sludge incident on T.V." He turned the machine this way and that. "I have to say, this is much better than I thought. Better than most kids your age." He set it back down. "Should've used tungsten though." He added, almost as if to bring her down because he thought it would be bad to praise her too much. Especially since she was reckless and was seriously harmed in the incident.

Ayano turned to her father with a small smile. "Yes, I agree." Noticing the interaction, Power Loader was mildly impressed that she recovered from her failures so quickly. True inventors are not constrained by a single fixed way of thinking.

"At least you know your stuff. You're not just some amateur who doesn't know what they're doing." He praised again, though it seemed like there was another meaning behind it. Ayano stared at him, prompting him to elaborate.

"You had a complete understanding of this thing's capabilities." Power Loader jabbed his thumb towards the contraption. "At that last moment…you switched it to your left hand – What I assume to be your non-dominant hand?" She nodded at his assumption, clearly implying that she knew there would be severe damage. If there were going to be repercussions, the best choice would be to use her left arm.

He grinned at that. "You know how to think ahead, and those moves out there weren't some sort of fluke. You've got some fighting knowledge in you, too. Exactly what a lot of pansies coming into the support courses lack."

Acknowledging her intellectual mind and affirming that his decision to see her for himself was the right choice, he held out a pamphlet to her. "Ever think about applying to U.A.'s Support Department?" The girl took the papers from him. It was a typical school pamphlet, advertising their facilities and such.

"Me and I guess some of the other teachers recognized your talent from seeing the sludge incident. I'm here as a sort of representative." Ayano's eyes widened a bit at his words.

Although most of his face was obscured by his large yellow helmet, she could still clearly see his frown. "Don't go thinking this is some sort of scouting or anything. If you want to get into U.A., you'll have to earn it. I'm just here to see for myself what you're made of." His gruff way of speaking conveyed his strictness. He made a point to warn her that she'd have to take the entrance exam just like everyone else. It's true, he acknowledged her inventiveness, but he wouldn't be giving anybody any special treatment.

Still looking through the pamphlets, Ayano smirked to herself. "I would expect no less from a top-notch school." Seeing the fire in her eyes, Power Loader smirked as well. "Glad to see we're on the same page then. Think about it. Let's see if you'll make the cut." With that, he turned to her father, nodded once to him, and then left the hospital room.

Ten months.

She had ten months before the U.A. entrance exam.


	7. Chapter 7

"Aya-chan!" Midoriya burst into the hospital room, accidentally slamming the doors open in the process. This earned him some heavy glares from a couple of nurses that were walking by.

"S-Sorry!" He frantically bowed and then gently shut the door closed. He turned to look at his childhood friend, and it seemed like she was completely unfazed at his sudden appearance. As usual, she was tinkering with something.

Ayano sat up on the hospital bed, another one of her machines on her lap. She was poking and prodding it with her right hand, but her progress was incredibly slowed because her left hand was still impaired.

Seeing that she was completely normal other than her left arm, Midoriya began tearing up. "Aya-chaaaan…" She had been in the hospital for approximately three weeks now.

The first week, she was completely unconscious. The second week, the doctors and nurses wished to monitor her closely for any changes while she was awake, so Midoriya was unable to properly see her then as well. This third week, she was to be released soon so it was the first time that he was actually able to talk to her.

Her arm wasn't completely healed but it was significantly better. After repeated visits from Recovery Girl, Ayano made a much quicker recovery. Both the sling and cast were now removed, leaving only the bandages. Her arm, from mid-bicep to finger tips, was covered in the white cloth.

Upon hearing her friend's sniffling, she finally acknowledged his presence. "I'm glad to see that you're…okay…" She began speaking before looking at him but as she turned her head to face him, her speech slowed and hesitated.

The green-haired boy was too busy using his sleeve to rapidly wipe at his eyes to notice that Ayano was looking him up and down. She was observing him, analyzing him, for something out of place.

After finally having calmed down, Midoriya composed himself enough to realize that Ayano was just staring at him. It wasn't her usual impassive stare, but one coupled with a slight furrow to her brow. "Aya-chan…?" He prodded.

She responded by suddenly reaching out to him with her uninjured hand. She started feeling him all over, from his arms, to his chest, to his abdominals. "A-A-A-A-AYA-CHAN?"

Midoriya could feel the heat rapidly spreading over his cheeks. "B-B-But we're both so y-y-young! M-MaybeWeShouldWaitUntilWe'reAtLeastInHighSchoolBeforeDoingThingsLikeThis!" He spoke quickly, jumbling his words. His eyes were swirling and he was flailing his arms about, unsure what to do at his friend's sudden boldness.

Ayano completely ignored his statements. "You've been working out." It wasn't a question but a statement. Midoriya completely paused his flailing. "Y-You noticed…?"

He had only started his training with All Might a couple weeks ago, a couple days after the sludge incident. There was no _obvious_ way to tell that he had been training, but Ayano had known him nearly all of their lives.

She was also one of the most observant people that he knew. If anybody was going to notice a change in him, it would be her.

He didn't have any significant muscles, but his body was just…tighter. He wasn't exactly flabby before, but he definitely didn't really work out too much. After feeling his body, Ayano had confirmed her suspicions.

Midoriya began feeling a bit nervous. She knew he was applying to U.A. so it wasn't unusual for him to be training, but he definitely couldn't tell her about his relationship with All Might no matter how much he wanted to. He hadn't even told his own mother!

Ayano scanned him over again. "You're overworking yourself." Another statement rather than a question. "E-Eh? N-No, I'm not! I'm fi—" "There are bags under your eyes." She stared him dead in the eyes and Midoriya could feel the cold sweat coming on.

He never could hide anything from her ever since they were children. "…I need to train harder than anyone so that I can catch up to everyone…" He mumbled and looked down at his feet.

The brown-haired girl finally tore her eyes away from him and returned her focus to the gadget on her lap. "It's good that you have come to that realization, but do make sure that you do not work yourself until you collapse."

Midoriya lifted his head back up, slight confusion on his face. He had been fully prepared to receive a scolding from her.

Seeing as he was silent, Ayano spoke again. "I don't intend to tell you what you can and cannot do. I'm not your mother, though I _can_ have concern for you and advise you on what you should do. I am well aware that you are applying to U.A. and only some of the best can become accepted. As someone who is quirkless, you are at a severe disadvantage so it is only logical that you must work twice, if not three times, as hard as everyone else."

The boy flinched at the 'quirkless' part for his own reasons, and Ayano took note of this but continued on. "Even though I have asked you to not work yourself to the point of complete exhaustion, I know that you are going to anyways." Midoriya flinched again, knowing that she hit the nail on the head.

She sighed at this. "Again, I will not tell you what you can and can't do but I will offer you my help and any suggestions. You are experiencing soreness, yes?" He nodded.

"Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Common among people who first start working out. Make sure you stay warm after the workout to avoid it. Buy some heating pads. I created a full body suit with adjustable temperatures. You can use it to keep you warm during your exercise and after. There's also the modified Haramaki in storage that I made. Though it is a bit early in the year to be using a belly wrap, I believe it is rather suitable in this situation. Feel free to go to my home and ask my mother to get them for you."

"Aya-chan…" He had just stopped crying, but Midoriya could feel the tears coming out in the corner of his eyes again.

"I do not intend to give you those with no charge. I expect a full report and review of my products." She continued while still working on the machine in her lap.

Midoriya chuckled. "Of course!" Ayano was always straight-laced and she always made it seem like she never did anything that didn't somehow benefit her support career, but there was no way that Midoriya could miss that faint smile on her lips.

While she worked, he went on to tell her all that happened to him before and after the sludge villain. He went into complete fanboy mode when talking about All Might, leaving out the part about him becoming his successor of course.

"And get this! All Might told me that I can become a hero!" Midoriya finished with a sparkle in his eyes. Although she was happy for him, Ayano's eye still twitched a little.

"I have been telling you this for years. You better have the confidence to become a hero now, after even All Might has said it." He could sense the small bit of irritation in her voice.

The boy gave a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He looked to the side in embarrassment. "I know, I know! Really, thank you for all your SUPPORT?" When he turned his head to avoid looking at her, he saw a couple of pamphlets for U.A.'s Support Department on the nightstand next to her bed.

Midoriya's eyes were actually bulging out from the sockets. He looked at Ayano who was still completely focused on her work, and then back at the pamphlets.

Ayano. Pamphlets. Ayano. Pamphlets…Ayano. "Aya-chan!? You're applying to U.A.?" He finally found the will to speak. "That is correct." She answered without even sparing him a glance.

"B-But I thought that you said you didn't want to go to U.A.!?" He retaliated. "That is also correct."

At his continued confusion, she chose to elaborate. "Right before the sludge incident, I took a tour of a support company around here." Midoriya nodded, remembering their conversation from that time.

"I was originally going to apply to Ketsubutsu Academy because of that support company. However, due to various circumstances, the company is now affiliated with U.A. I also received a visit from Power Loader. Both of those things effectively changed my decision on the matter." Ayano explained.

"Y-You got a visit from _the_ Power Loader? Oh my god, did you get his autograph? What did he say? Did U.A. scout you? Aya-chan, that's amazing!" The green-haired boy couldn't contain his excitement.

"Relax. It was not a scout of any sort. I have to get into U.A. just like everybody else – by taking the entrance exam." At this, Midoriya's eyes widened. Ayano finally looked at him.

She smirked. "Looks like we'll be working together for the same goal."

Unknown to the both of them, there was a boy standing just outside of the hospital room – a third person working for the same goal.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ah." That was the only acknowledgement that Ayano gave to the ash blond. After exiting through her front door, she was immediately met with the sight of Bakugou who just happened to pass by her house on his walk to school.

She was only mildly surprised. They had always lived close to one another so this wasn't unusual, but they hadn't walked to school together since they were small children.

Normally, she would have waited for Midoriya to walk with him, but he revealed his training schedule to her. Having to wake up at 4:00 AM to begin his exercise, he told her that she needn't wait for him. Who knew that she would run into Bakugou on her first day back?

"Morning." Ayano greeted tentatively. Bakugou merely grunted in response and returned to facing forward with his permanent scowl. Leaving him be, the brown-haired girl returned to her daily morning routine by pulling out another one of her creations.

They easily fell into step with one another, Bakugou seemingly ignoring her presence and going the same pace as he was before, Ayano walking and working beside him. "I'm glad that you are okay." She spoke again.

"I didn't need your help." Came the boy's immediate reply. "I suppose you didn't, but I don't see how that was, in any way, a proper response to my statement." The girl replied in complete confidence, having expected this kind of behavior.

Bakugou's brow furrowed even more. "I didn't need your help…" He stated again. "…But…thanks…" He mumbled the last part. To nearly any other person, they would've thought that he was saying it out of some sort of obligation or that it pained him to do so, but Ayano knew better.

They didn't stop walking, but Ayano took a good, solid look at him. He still hadn't looked at her once, but she could tell that his feelings were no less genuine.

That was the thing with him.

He had never treated her poorly.

Even when his quirk manifested along with his superiority complex, he _never_ treated her poorly. Surely, his attitude worsened but he didn't behave that much differently with Ayano. In fact, the only reason why their relationship had somewhat soured was because Ayano chose to defend Midoriya.

Midoriya had to face the brunt of Bakugou's anger all the time, but Ayano only had to do so when she was around the both of them. It seemed as though she were merely in the 'splash zone' when Bakugou decided to unleash his quirk on the other boy.

The blond had bullied and tormented Midoriya, but he didn't dare lay a hand on Ayano. He would threaten her when she got in the way, but the girl soon came to the realization that they were always empty threats. He never followed through with them. Never.

Eventually, they just grew distant from one another. Bakugou did so for whatever reasons and Ayano did so because she protected Midoriya.

Choosing not to respond with a 'You're welcome' since that would probably just anger him, Ayano remained silent while she dug inside her bag. She pulled out something that looked like a large flower bulb made out of some sort of metal and handed it to Bakugou, causing him to finally look at her in what she assumed to be confusion.

It was a little hard to tell with his constant scowling.

They stood still, with her staring right at him. Her arm was still outstretched with the metal flower bulb sitting snug in her palm. Bakugou simply stared at it with furrowed brows and slanted eyes.

Growing a bit impatient, Ayano pulled back her arm slightly and stretched it out in offering again, hoping to jerk him out of whatever mode he was in.

The boy slowly lifted his hand and took the object from her. He then laid it across his own palm. After staring at it for a couple more seconds, he looked at Ayano with an eyebrow raised, silently asking what exactly he should do with this.

"Use your quirk." She commanded but there really wasn't much of an authoritative tone to it. He still held her gaze but then shook his head, deciding that it was better not to question her. He knew from childhood that it would be futile.

Barely even concentrating, Bakugou let out his quirk on the hand holding the machine. The explosion was very small, almost like a poof. It was similar to the tiny blasts he would emit just to intimidate Midoriya.

Nothing happened.

He looked at Ayano expectantly. She scoffed, as if insulted. "I meant more than _that_. My inventions aren't so fragile." Just like him, she gave a single raised brow in expectance.

A challenge.

Bakugou showed off one of his villain-like smirks. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge, and he was no stranger to Ayano's confrontations either. Well, if she asked for it…

Deciding to _really_ let loose, he yelled while unleashing his quirk. "DIE!" His shouts were slightly muffled by the sounds of his explosive palm.

The flower bulb opened, although not fully. The inside was a vibrant reddish-orange, much like the color of fire. The center of the 'flower' held a small cylinder with holes in it. Shortly after, a burst of actual fire shot out of the holes, forming a candle flame.

He opened his mouth to ridicule her but Ayano's voice cut him off before he even started. "Before you think it's just some dumb candle, it _does_ have another purpose." Bakugou immediately shut his mouth, eye twitching in slight annoyance.

"It's a machine to gauge the strength of your quirk – your explosive strength. In other words, it gauges the ability of your explosions to move surrounding material." She pointed at the petals of the 'flower.' "Since the explosions weren't strong enough, the flower didn't open completely."

She then pointed at the flame. "It also factors in the amount of heat produced. The larger the flame, the stronger your quirk. It can also measure the strength depending on the color of the flame, as well as how long it burns for."

Following her explanations, Bakugou clicked his tongue. He was clearly frustrated because the flower wasn't completely open, the flame was rather small, and it was only light in color. Ayano just rolled her eyes and continued walking. "There's no point if you can get it all on the first try."

"…The hell is this for?" He finally asked. "It was _supposed_ to be a 'get well' gift for that villain mishap…" The boy clicked his tongue once more, not wanting to be reminded about the sludge incident. "…But I guess it's a little late for that, seeing as it has been over three weeks since I've seen you. You also seem perfectly fine, but that gift would go to waste otherwise."

Ayano went back to working on her other creation while she walked. "I would have given it to you sooner, but I was stuck in the hospital and you didn't visit." Bakugou's face seemed to contort at that, Ayano taking note of this. She had no malice in her words and she had no ill intentions. She was just merely stating a fact.

Unbeknownst to her, he actually _had_ visited her. Once, while she was still unconscious, and a second time while she was with Midoriya. He had never made his presence known, for whatever reason.

Deciding not to mention his reaction, Ayano continued. "Before you mock me on my choice of design, it could have been anything. I just chose a flower, simply because that is normally what you give to people as a 'get well' gift when they are in the hospital or injured."

The girl saw him nod in what she assumed to be either understanding or some sort of appreciation in the corner of her eye. Bakugou wouldn't be caught dead saying 'Thanks' two times in one day. "You can use it however you wish. Throw it out, keep it in storage, burn it – if you can, that is."

She really didn't care what he did with it, so long as he understood why she was giving it to him. It was just a bit of fun to challenge him like this because she knew how riled up he would get. It would also help her to understand any improvements she could possibly make for future inventions of a similar type.

As expected, a bunch more explosions sounded off. Even so, the flower barely opened up more and the flame stayed relatively the same. Ayano heard his growls of frustration and tilted her lips upwards ever so slightly.

Returning to her usual impassive expression before he could see, she sighed. "Give it up. It's meant to withstand much more than what you are dishing out. Also, there's no point in doing consecutive explosions. You're not going to get any stronger by the second and that's only going to tire you out."

Bakugou muttered to himself, obviously irritated. Not willing to concede, he continued releasing explosions to try and make the machine budge. Ayano took a glance at him and then looked forward again, a slight gleam in her eyes.

The rest of their walk to school was spent in silence, save for the sounds of Bakugou's explosions and his frustrations as well as Ayano's tinkering.

"Ah." Bakugou finally tore his eyes away from the flower to look at the source of the noise. "There is another thing about the design that I forgot to mention." She continued walking through the front entrance of the school and towards the shoe lockers, not sparing him a glance.

"The design is based off of the Nasturtium flower. You probably don't care for it too much, but I chose it for a number of reasons. I believe its colors rather suit your…'fiery' personality." She didn't mention anything about how it also complimented the color of his eyes, but she hesitated a bit to say the next part.

"…In the language of flowers, the Nasturtium represents conquest or victory in battle…" Opening her shoe locker and quickly exchanging her shoes, she continued in an almost unnoticeable quieter voice, "…Good luck on the U.A. entrance exam." The girl, who still hadn't looked at the boy and managed to maintain her impassive attitude the whole time, closed the locker and continued walking to the classroom.

Bakugou had a near complete blank face, his eyes and mouth a bit wider than usual. Quickly returning to normal, he began muttering obscenities under his breath while shoving the gift into his pocket and walking to his own shoe locker.

There was an unnoticed, but unmistakable tint of pink upon his cheeks.


	9. Chapter 9

"Aya-chan!" The green-haired boy stopped in front of her, sweating and panting like he had run a marathon. They had decided to meet in front of the U.A. gates just before the practical portion of the entrance exam.

Ayano stopped her tinkering to look at him with a single raised brow. He was bent over, hands on his knees and head facing down. "You do know that this is the _practical_ portion of the exam and not the _written_ portion, right?" She asked, criticizing his use of energy before the exam even started.

"I…I was afraid…I would be…late!" He explained between breaths. She simply shook her head at him. After calming down, they started walking towards the entrance of the school. Ayano fiddled with some things on her belt, causing Midoriya to finally take a good look at her.

She was wearing their school's uniform, but he noticed that she replaced the skirt with pants. Ayano was fiddling with her utility belt. Midoriya's eyes widened at the array of materials attached to it. He recognized nearly none of the inventions hooked onto it.

They hadn't seen much of each other before the U.A. entrance exam. Midoriya taking to his own training with All Might and Ayano taking to her own preparations. He wondered what she had done the past ten months, but a simple glance at her belt told him she worked hard and prepared well.

"You sure brought a lot of your inventions, Aya-chan!" He eyed them, amazed at the variety of them. From what he could see, there was a slightly flattened, white sphere, compartments filled with what seemed to be different colored pills, and a type of rope.

"They told us we could bring whatever we wanted. As someone applying for the Support Course, it is only logical that I bring what I made myself." She explained. Midoriya was about to ask what they did when he heard a distinct, angry voice.

"Move aside, Deku! Get out of my way or you're dead." The green-haired boy flinched and held his hands up in defense while greeting him. The blond simply ignored him, brushing past the two childhood friends.

Midoriya and Ayano just blinked at each other, then looked at Bakugou. He had his normal scowl on his face, coupled with his palms emitting some explosions. Ayano's eyes widened at the object he held.

It was her gift.

Except this time, it was opened much wider and the flame looked much brighter.

Ayano gently smiled. It seemed like Bakugou was working hard the past ten months as well.

After a small encounter with a girl who seemed to have a gravity defying quirk, the two friends entered the hall. Ayano was seated between Bakugou and Midoriya, able to pacify any antagonistic actions the blonde may initiate.

Midoriya's fanboy mutterings were stopped when a boy with glasses supposedly pointed out a mistake on the handout. "Such a blatant error, if it is one, is highly unbecoming for U.A., Japan's top academy! We're all here today in the hopes of being molded into model heroes!"

Ayano scoffed and muttered, "Not _all_ of us."

Another boy jumped in. He had black hair as dark as night. His hair and bangs were parted perfectly to the side, almost giving himself and 'preppy boy' look. His eyes, however, screamed anything but that. They had a serious slant to them, relaying his ferocity. "Yeah, and I was informed that people applying for the Support Course are taking a different exam! The exam should be fundamentally different given how different the Hero and Support Courses are. I came here thinking that U.A. was taking their other departments seriously but I guess you're all still concerned only about your _precious_ heroes!"

Ayano looked at him in slight annoyance. Perhaps if these boys didn't jump to conclusions before Present Mic finished, their questions might be answered. Although, she had to admit that she was slightly miffed. After the support department she was interested in had switched allegiances, she too was under the impression that U.A. was trying to strengthen their other courses. Was all of it just a ruse?

Present Mic looked at the boy with glasses first. "Alright, alright. Examinee 7111 and 8236, nice catch. Thanks! The fourth faux villain variety gets you zero points! He's more of an obstacle – a 'gimmick' that'll rampage around in close quarters."

The pro hero then looked at the second boy. "As for you Support Course kids, your exam is different but not by much. You'll still be facing the same faux villains, but you'll be allowed twenty minutes beforehand to create anything you think will help you!"

Suddenly, a bunch of murmurings could be heard in the giant hall. They were mostly along the lines of "Only twenty minutes?!" and "My quirk won't help with this!"

Ayano's face hadn't changed at all, but Midoriya seemed to be panicking enough for the both of them. "Isn't twenty minutes too little?! And won't the same type of exam be too difficult for those with quirks not meant for hero type battles?!"

Before he continued, Ayano's voice cut in. "That's most likely exactly what they want." He looked at her in confusion, but her eyes remained trained onto the handout.

"They informed us beforehand that we could bring anything we wanted into the exam. That, by itself, is an excellent indicator of the prepared. For those of us who are not prepared, the extra twenty minutes to build will be your only lifeline. For those of us who are, it will be a perfect opportunity for last minute touches and to show our capabilities, especially within a tight time frame." Ayano began digging into her bag, pulling out her bionic arm cover. It was the same one from the sludge incident, but new and improved.

"As for fighting the same faux villains as the Hero Course, that will show the different levels of experience. Those with suitable quirks for fighting will have most likely brought a support item that matches their quirk or they will simply make one in the twenty minutes allotted. Those without suitable quirks will have to make something that _is_ suitable for the situation, thus displaying their competence." She pressed a few buttons on the bionic arm, causing it to activate and move about.

"Putting us through the same exam as the kids applying for the Hero Course makes perfect, logical sense. How can you expect to make support items for heroes when you, yourself, have no idea of the kind of situation they are in? If you do not know of the dangers that heroes face, you cannot possibly make a proper support item for them that will decide between someone's life and death." She turned her left hand over, examining the scars wrapping around it with glazed eyes. Bakugou stared at her hand as well, seeing the scars for the first time but only for a few seconds before she turned it over again.

"Woah…" Midoriya breathed. Ayano finally looked at him, causing him to flinch at her sudden gaze. "You're amazing, Aya-chan! To figure all of that out! But don't worry, you'll be fine!"

"I never said I was worried. If anything, I should probably be the one saying that to you." She looked up and down at him, pointing out his tense posture and gloss of sweat. He squeaked in embarrassment. "I-I'll be fine!"

With Present Mic sending them off with a 'Plus Ultra!' Ayano separated from her two childhood friends, silently wishing them luck.

Upon reaching her test site, she was met with work stations and piles of scrap metal. Ayano glanced around her at the other test takers. She saw the panicked expressions of the unprepared and the concentrated ones of the prepared.

"Your twenty minutes starts now!" Announced the proctor, many of the examinees rushing to a station. Ayano simply walked to one. To an outsider's point of view, it would seem as though she were just taking a leisurely stroll. In reality, she was in deep concentration.

" _Given Present Mic's wording and the amount of people here today, it's nearly impossible for the faux villains to be real people. In that case, they would be some sort of robots. If we only have to 'disable' them like he said…then I'll do this."_ Finishing her thought process, Ayano pulled out a bunch of pieces from the piles and set out to work.

* * *

Twenty minutes was indeed a tight time frame, so she could only do so much. Laid in front of her were three disk like objects about the size of her palm. She slapped on an electronic wristband and a small holographic screen was projected in the air. Ayano set about programming the disks, causing them to light up as she did so.

"Those are some magnificent babies!" Ayano's hands stopped and she blinked, turning to the voice. A girl with pink hair and yellow eyes stood next to her with a gleam in her eyes.

"If by 'babies' you mean inventions, then yes, I suppose they are…" At the response, the pink-haired girl lunged forward, her face getting very close to Ayano's. The brown-haired girl blinked again but did not back away.

The pink-haired girl pulled down her goggles and used them to examine Ayano's creations. She pulled the girl's right arm, raising it to her eye level. "I saw this on the news with the sludge incident! But it's different now! The wind tunnel on top is gone! And it looks like it was made with a different metal! Is it tungsten?! Have you thought about using titanium?! One of my super cute babies would be a great addition to this!" She grew more excited as she talked.

Ayano gently pulled her arm back and answered her questions one by one. "The one you saw on T.V. was a prototype. This is a more advanced product. The tunnel from before is now implemented into the palm of my hand, making it more compact while still fulfilling the same purpose. It is made of tungsten, and I have considered using titanium. That was what the last prototype was made of. I will have to decline your…'babies,' although I do appreciate the offer…" She trailed off, prompting the girl to introduce herself.

She pushed her goggles up on her forehead and smiled. "I'm Hatsume Mei and these are my cute babies!" Mei was about to shamelessly promote her 'babies' when the proctor spoke, "The twenty minutes are now up!"

"It appears to be time for the test. Apologies, Hatsume-san. We will have to discuss later. My name is Sasaki Ayano." She gave a small bow.

Mei just smiled again with that glint in her eye. "You'll just have to see my babies in action during the test then, Sasaki Ayano!" Ayano gave a small smile as Mei ran off. "Perhaps I will."

She gathered her belongings and began walking to the exam site, a look of determination on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

" **BEGIN!** " Ayano burst forward along with all the other examinees. However, instead of just rushing forward on the clear and open path, she chose to veer towards the side, going through alleys and between the buildings.

She heard some rumbling on her right side and quickly stopped her movements. A one-point villain burst from the building and turned its head towards her. " **Target locked! Prepare for termination!** "

It rushed at her, raising its claw in preparation to strike. It was fast, but it seemed to be very straightforward in its attack. Ayano used the grappling hook from her arm to quickly pull herself to the side and avoid the claw. She retracted the hook and took aim at the neck of the robot. She blasted off its head with a burst of high pressure air, successfully disabling it and earning herself one point.

"Quick, but fragile...especially on the joints connecting its limbs." Ayano examined as she walked closer to the dismembered machine. She looked around the empty alleyway, hearing the distant sounds of screaming and the clanging of metal. Deducing that she was far enough away from danger, she acted quickly.

Reaching the head of the robot, she crouched down to it and extended a wire from her electronic wristband. "I'm most likely wasting a lot of time but if I'm successful, it will be worth it." She plugged the wire into a compartment within the head and her watch projected screens and screens of information. As she quickly skimmed over it, she hummed in thought.

"It has rather simple programming, detecting movement and attacking being the main points. I suppose they wouldn't want to waste too much effort on an entrance exam that they hold every year with thousands of participants." Her wristband projected a keyboard onto her arm and she began tapping away at it, the three disks that she made prior to the exam lighting up.

" **SIX MINUTES REMAINING!** "

Ayano retracted the wire and the screens turned off. She started running in the direction of all the noise, knowing that most of the robots would be there. Reaching the source of it all, her eyes darted around to examine the situation. People were scrambling and scraps of metal flew about. She heard other examinees mumbling their points, realizing just how behind she was.

She encountered a three-point villain, one that was much bigger than the one-pointer from earlier and looked more like a tank. From what she observed of the other people battling the villains, three-pointers were slow but strong and durable. _"My air cannon isn't going to put a dent in that armor. I'll have to use one early."_ Ayano thought as she pulled out one of the three disks.

" **Target locked!** " Reaching into her utility belt, Ayano pulled out a white pill and threw it to the ground. A screen of smoke billowed out from the pill and masked her movements, causing the robot to lose sight of its target and lock on to another.

As it moved towards another examinee, she rushed behind it with a disk in hand. Clicking it once to activate it, she slapped it onto the robot. It stuck onto the surface and released some electric shocks. The robot stilled and ceased functioning.

Ayano slowly walked in front of the villain and pressed a button on her wristband. A holographic screen popped open and the robot's head turned up. " **Activated. Awaiting further instructions.** " At that moment, Ayano revealed a devious smile.

Hatsume Mei was having the time of her life. Oh, to be able to use her cute babies to the fullest and show them off to all the people here!

She had just dodged a villain's attack with her hydraulic attachment bars, when the very same villain was rammed into by another. The frail one-pointer exploded and burst into flames. Mei turned her head around to see that the attacker was a three-pointer. Her eyes widened when she saw that Ayano was riding it like she would a horse.

"My apologies, Hatsume-san, but I am a bit behind on points. I hope you'll forgive me." Ayano shouted down to her as she commanded the three-pointer to use its homing missiles to target nearby robots. She jumped down to blast another one-pointer with her air cannon.

Mei gave a wild smile and laughed. "Amazing, Sasaki! You turned the villains into your own babies!" She then used her wire arrow to shoot through another one-pointer, successfully gaining the point. "But my super cute babies won't lose to yours!"

Ayano smirked. Despite how hectic everything around them was, the two had a friendly competition going on. Each of them trying to defeat more villains and seeing who's support items were better.

Just as they each destroyed a two-pointer, the ground rumbled. The zero-point gimmick mowed its way through the buildings, destroying them. While everybody else was running away from the rampaging robot, Ayano and Mei had wicked smiles on their faces.

Ayano was the first to take action. "Sorry, Hatsume-san. This one's mine." "Heh heh heh, not if my babies get to it first!"

"Those two know that thing gets them zero points, right?!" Some examinees shouted in confusion.

Ayano found a damaged, but mostly intact, three-pointer as well as another one-pointer. "I need you and you." Using the remaining two disks, she slapped one on each and programmed them to do her bidding. She now had two three-pointers and a one-pointer in her possession.

She tapped away at her wristband. "You two, distract the big one." She said, referring to the three-pointers. "You, come with me." She instructed the one-pointer. " **Roger.** " The three robots answered.

Ayano hopped onto the one-pointer and held her hand out to Mei. The pink-haired girl gave a toothy grin and jumped on. As the three-pointers distracted the gimmick as much as they could with their limited weapons, Ayano and Mei sped off on the one-pointer.

They went around to the side of the gigantic robot at its blind spot. They both jumped off the one-pointer, and Ayano commanded it to go elsewhere to destroy more villains. The two girls hooked onto the gimmick, Ayano using her grappling hook and Mei using her wire arrow.

As they reached the top of its head, Ayano pulled out some orange pills. She pinched them and let them fall onto the surface. The crushed pills began melting away at the metal, allowing her to pull a panel loose. She performed the same process as before, connecting a wire to it and her wristband.

"It appears that this zero-pointer uses the same mechanisms as all the others. The problem is that I don't nearly have enough power to reprogram something of this caliber." Mei began her usual maniacal laugh. "Fu Fu Fu! If its power you need, say no more!"

She pulled out two objects of what looked like defibrillators, something doctors would use to administer shocks to a patient's heart. Ayano could see the lightning streaks surrounding them. "These are my shock blocks! These babies can pack ten kilowatts each! They'll get you all the power you need in no time!"

Mei rubbed them together and pushed them against the robot's open panel, administering an incredible shock and deactivating it while Ayano quickly reprogrammed it. The two girls laughed as it was brought back to life under Ayano's command.

" **TIME'S UP!** " Ayano clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Just as we were getting to the best part…" She looked at Mei who pushed her goggles up onto her forehead. "It was a pleasure working with you, Hatsume-san."

"Call me Mei! See you at school, Sasaki!" With that, the pink-haired girl jumped into the air and flew with her jetpack.

Ayano's eyes followed the girl. She smiled. It wasn't arrogance that she had, it was just complete and utter excitement about the support course and finding somebody with the same passion.

* * *

Ayano was waiting for Midoriya outside of the U.A. gates when Bakugou exited the school. He stopped to see her with her back leaning against the wall. She had her eyes closed, waiting patiently. Draped over her arms in front of her was the top part of their school's sailor type uniform, leaving her in her black, racerback tank top. She had shed the uniform to cool off, having worked up a bit of a sweat during the exam.

Feeling a presence beside her, Ayano opened her eyes and looked at Bakugou. The two looked at each other in silence, Bakugou not entirely sure what compelled him to stop. The brown-haired girl noticed that his right cheek had a cut that was slightly bleeding.

Without a word, she unhooked the white, flattened sphere from her belt and walked up to him. Holding her uniform in her right hand, she held the sphere up to his cheek with her left. Surprisingly, Bakugou just stood there and let her.

He felt the cool metal of the object and heard its gears turning. " **Laceration detected. First aid initiated. Administering two milliliters of isopropyl alcohol.** " Bakugou clicked his tongue at the stinging sensation.

He hadn't looked away from Ayano though. With her tank top, her arms were completely exposed. He saw, for the first time, the extent of the scars that ran along her left arm.

Noticing his stare, Ayano gave a small sigh. She picked up his right hand and placed it on the sphere, forcing him to hold it himself. Now having both hands free, she took her uniform and slipped it back on, concealing the scars again.

She could never be too sure since Bakugou almost always had a scowl on his face, but she could have sworn that his brows furrowed deeper when he noticed the scars.

" **Applying bandage. First aid complete. Feel better.** " The robotic, monotone voice finished. Bakugou removed the sphere from his face and a bandage was in its place. Ayano took the device from his hand and hooked it back onto her belt.

She was about to say something when she heard the tired mumblings of Midoriya. She turned her head to see her green-haired friend, seeing his slightly disheveled state. She turned back to look at Bakugou, but he had already started walking back home.

Ayano gazed at him with his hunched up back and hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy pants. She sighed again and walked towards Midoriya, congratulating him on his safe return.


	11. Chapter 11

"My, it's amazing that both of our kids will be in the same school even for high school!" Sasaki Asuka exclaimed as the Sasaki family entered the Bakugou household. The Bakugou family welcomed them with smiles – all except for the youngest, that is.

Bakugou Mitsuki answered her friend with equal enthusiasm. "I'm happy about it, but I'm sure your little Ayano is probably upset that she has to see my son's ugly mug for another three years!" "Shut up, you old hag!" "Don't talk to your mother that way! And greet our guests when they come in, you brat!"

The fathers, Sasaki Kaito and Bakugou Masaru, greeted each other on the side with a simple nod of their heads. "Masaru." "K-Kaito." Along with their wives, the two had been friends and neighbors for years, but Kaito's incredibly stoic nature and imposing aura still intimidated Masaru.

After a good slap to her son's head, Mitsuki continued. "Hopefully my brat of a son doesn't cause you too much trouble, Aya-chan! If only I had a daughter as good as you!" Asuka giggled behind her hand. "Oh, it's not like Ayano doesn't give me trouble. Her and her father, both! They'll tear apart the whole house for their own amusement." The woman looked at the father-daughter pair, but the two immediately looked away to avoid her eyes.

Mitsuki gave a hearty laugh. "At least she can put it back together! Katsuki will just blow the house up and that would be it." The boy glared at his mother, causing her to smack his head again. "Anyways, our families haven't gotten together in a while so I thought our kids' acceptance into U.A. was a good enough reason to eat dinner together."

The two families began to eat a grand, home-cooked meal. The parents conversed as they always would, but it was the children that seemed off. Ayano just moved her chopsticks back and forth from the plate and to her mouth, her mind on other things such as her inventions. Katsuki, on the other hand, was staring at her – or rather, glaring.

The two hadn't interacted much since the entrance exam, save for one small encounter.

* * *

" _How wonderful that three of our students have made it into U.A.! Especially you, Midoriya! That's a miracle we never expected. And you're also a surprise, Sasaki! I still remember that earful you gave me about absolutely not going to U.A." Ayano just looked to the side with disinterest. "I wouldn't call my words 'absolute'…"_

 _Later, Bakugou pulled Midoriya to the side out back although Ayano was hot on their trail, hiding behind the wall. "What dirty tricks did you use to do it, you quirkless twerp!?" He continued to throw some choice words at the boy and tried to intimidate him into giving it up._

 _Midoriya, for the first time in a while, truly stood up to Bakugou. "Kacchan! I **earned** this!" Ayano smiled and then intervened, having heard all that she wanted. "Ahem!" She coughed, revealing herself to the two boys and causing Bakugou to let go of Midoriya's collar._

 _At his release, Midoriya scrambled away and followed Ayano back inside. He continued forward but Ayano stayed back for a few moments, looking at Bakugou with disdain. He glared back at her with a bit of surprise, not used to seeing this look on her. She had scolded him before, but she had never been this disappointed in him._

" _He's not the same 'Deku' that you can push around anymore…" With that, she left him alone._

* * *

Katsuki clenched his fork and proceeded to stab at his food as if he were a psychopath repeatedly plunging a knife into his victim.

She took his side again. She **always** takes his side!

After they finished dinner, the two families split up into male and female sides like they always would – or rather, like the wives always forced their husbands to. Ayano stayed in the living room with her mother and Mitsuki while Katsuki was shuffled off to the back porch with his father and Kaito.

The two older women were sat on the sofa, catching up without the men around while Ayano was on the ground busying herself with programming another one of her inventions with her projection wristband.

"You know, I really am glad that you and Katsuki are going to the same school, Aya-chan." Mitsuki finally addressed the young girl, but that didn't stop her from tapping away at the keyboard projected on her arm.

"I know that kid is a brat and I worry about him because that attitude he developed really needs to be worked on…" The woman gripped at her cup of tea. "But if you're there, I can rest easy knowing that you'll be there to set him straight." She gently smiled at the girl.

Ayano finally paused, turning off her wristband. She slowly set her hands down onto the table. "…I'm concerned." The two mothers widened their eyes and looked at each other, surprised that Ayano stopped working to express concern of all things.

Not having expected this behavior, Mitsuki chuckled awkwardly. "If he gets too out of control, don't be afraid to knock some sense in him. He can take it! In fact, he probably deserves the beating coming to him!" She swung her fist back and forth to emphasize her desire to hit him.

Ayano just shook her head. "You misunderstand. I am not concerned about his attitude right now. What I am concerned about, is his attitude when he gets there…" She wasn't looking at Mitsuki but at her hands on the table in front of her, as if she were in deep thought.

The women opted to stay silent, letting her go at her own pace. "As you know, U.A. produces some of the world's best heroes. Nowadays, graduating from U.A. is basically an unspoken requirement to become a great hero. People with that sort of potential will definitely be in the school – in the same class as him."

Ayano now furrowed her brows, getting into the troubling part of her worries. "I fear that at that point, he may not know how to take that. He'll realize that he isn't some big fish in a small pond. The pond is much bigger than he thinks and there is much bigger prey than him. I have no idea how he'll react, but I doubt that this will bode well."

* * *

Katsuki was out on the back porch with the two older men. It was safe to say that the tension and silence surrounding them was palpable. With Kaito's stoic nature and Masaru's rather demure one, the two normally did not engage in too much conversation. They seemed to become friends only through their wives, although neither protested to that.

Katsuki had nothing to say to the two. In fact, he grew rather annoyed at being kicked out of the house by his mother. Growing more and more irritated at the silence, he finally got up. "This is dumb, I'm going back inside!" His father tried to stop him, but the blond was already on his way.

He was about to go upstairs to his room when he heard his mother's voice from the living room.

Mitsuki stared at the brown-haired girl for a few moments. Her eyes softened and she gently smiled. She reached over the table to place her hand on top of Ayano's, causing the girl to look up at her.

"You know, those words are really reassuring. Katsuki's always been surrounded by people praising him for the shallowest and dumbest stuff. Eventually he started taking it the wrong way, as if their praise would be a given…" She squeezed Ayano's hand.

"…but that never happened with you. I think your comments were the only ones he actually took to heart. If you praised him, he acted like he was invincible. If you didn't, he would try his damn best to meet your expectations. So, it's honestly a relief that you'll be going to the same school as him. If there really are 'bigger fish' than him like you think, I know that it'll be okay if you're there with him."

Ayano tore her eyes away from Mitsuki's to look at their conjoined hands. "I really don't think that I can do much for him like you believe. If I could, I wouldn't be worrying about this. The only thing I can do for him is support him as I have in the past…" She looked at her invention sitting on the table. "…and even then, it really isn't much."

The blonde woman chuckled. "Aya-chan, you do more than you think and that's all that I could ask for. Katsuki will never admit it, but he appreciates your support – probably much more than I do." She took back her hand to place in her lap and then bowed her head. "Please continue to take care of my son."

Ayano was about to ask her to raise her head when Katsuki burst into the room. "Shut up! I never said any of that, you cow!" "And that's why I said you would never admit it, you dumbass brat!"

They continued to yell at each other as Ayano returned to working on her little gadget, projecting a keyboard from her wristband once more.

At the tapping and beeping, Katsuki looked at the brown-haired girl with a strange look on his face. His scowl was still present as always, but there was something stirring in his eyes – something like conflict – and it didn't go unnoticed by the two older women.

Asuka shared a look with Mitsuki. "Ah! Mitsuki, didn't you say there was dessert?" "Oh yeah! There's this new pudding I got at the market." The two left, leaving their children alone in the living room.

As always, Ayano paid no mind to the things around her, continuing to work. Becoming fed up with her antics, Katsuki slammed his palm onto the table, leaving a prominent scorch mark on the wood.

The girl looked at the charred surface and then eyed him reproachfully. "Your mother isn't going to like that." "What the hell is your problem?" He immediately asked, much calmer than she expected.

She returned her attention to the holographic screens. "My problem is that I'm having trouble calibrating the system." "You know that's not what I fucking meant!" He yelled, his calmness receding.

She sighed and turned off her wristband again. "Then, what did you mean?" Ayano genuinely asked.

"What the fuck do you mean by 'supporting' me when you're always taking the side of that quirkless, good-for-nothing, Deku?!" Katsuki stared down at her, almost breathing heavily.

"If by 'taking sides' you mean 'being his friend', then yes, I do take his side. I fail to see how that is your concern though when it comes to me supporting you. In fact, my support for you has nothing to do with my friendship with him."

She was wrong. It had **everything** to do with it.

But she wouldn't let him explain that, nor would he do so at this point in time.

"If anything, I should be asking _you_ what _your_ problem is. We haven't spoken to each other in years, and now you're demanding answers to questions that can't be answered. I don't know how much you heard, but I mean what I said. I'll support you, but if you don't want it, then that's fine." She grabbed her machine from the table and stood up, preparing to leave.

Katsuki dug his nails into his palms and gnashed his teeth together. Not having anything to say in retort, he just marched upstairs to his room, slamming his door in frustration.


	12. Chapter 12

Inko ran towards the door after hearing some knocking. "Ah! Aya-chan! Good morning!" The older woman let the girl inside and offered her a questioning look. "You normally just wait outside…"

Ayano nodded with her normal impassive attitude. "Good morning, Inko-san. I usually do, but it appears your son is late." Shouting from his room, she could hear the rush in his voice. "I-I'll be right there, Aya-chan!" The girl just sighed and pulled out another of her inventions to tinker with and pass the time.

Taking this opportunity, Inko captured the girl's attention. "Um…Aya-chan, could I ask you for some advice?" The brown-haired girl simply raised an eyebrow as the woman ushered her further inside.

Finally ready, Midoriya burst from his room and scrambled for the front door where his shoes were. He was frantically putting them on and lacing them when he noticed that Ayano wasn't even in the hallway. "Aya-chan? I'm ready! We're going to be late!" He shouted.

The girl appeared in the hallway after a few moments, followed by his mother. It seemed like they were talking as the older woman thanked the younger. After accepting the woman's thanks, Ayano directed her attention to him. "Pray tell, exactly who is responsible for us being late?" Midoriya just sweat-dropped and relented.

The two were on their way as soon as Inko finished being a mother hen and worrying about her son having all of his things.

On their way to school, Midoriya was constantly mumbling his concerns, particularly about not wanting some scary students in the same class as him. Oddly enough, Ayano was listening to him rather than working on something.

He was too busy worrying to notice, but she squinted her eyes at him, a frown set on her face. She had been thinking this ever since he said he got accepted, but she felt that there was definitely something amiss.

To be accepted without a quirk is one thing. To be accepted into the _hero course_ as well as class _1-A_ was an entirely different thing. That class was to be designated for the students with some of the highest potential of becoming heroes. To be placed into 1-A without a quirk was simply unthinkable and basically impossible.

Of course, Ayano's faith in Midoriya had never wavered since they were children. She believed whole-heartedly that he could become a hero, but she obviously didn't think he would be placed into the top course. If anything, she assumed he would have been placed into the General Education course if he even got in at all.

She knew he went through some tough training the ten months prior to the exam, but that shouldn't have been enough. Let's say he did gain a lot of fighting experience and built up a good amount of muscle. There's still no way that he could have defeated so many robots in the exam and definitely not as much as those with quirks that were perfectly suited for the test like Bakugou.

As such, some major suspicions were raised. There's really no way to cheat on the exam and even if there were, Midoriya was definitely not the type to do so. Not finding a plausible solution to her questions, Ayano took her suspicions to Inko.

* * *

" _Eh? Izuku didn't tell you? It's amazing! He said his quirk miraculously manifested after all this time! It really is a miracle! Oh, but it really worries me! He said because it only came about now, he doesn't really know how to control it that much. What if he gets hurt? Oh, Izukuuuu!"_

* * *

Not wanting to worry the woman any further, Ayano kept her questions to herself. Even though his mother told her all that, she didn't exactly believe it.

Quirks have never manifested past the age of four. When they were younger, Midoriya had even told her himself that he had the same bone in his foot that she did, indicating their quirkless nature.

However, there really would be no other explanation for his success. So, Ayano tried accepting the fact that he now had a quirk, as ridiculous as that sounded to her.

There was a deep furrow in her brow. After a bit more thought, she let out a deep breath to relax her features. Even if he does have some miraculous quirk now, that didn't change the fact that he had told her nothing about it. Ayano decided not to question him for now. He would tell her when he felt ready.

Eventually, the two friends made it to the school. Midoriya's classroom was closer, so Ayano walked with him there. He opened the door to reveal two of his classmates arguing – the very two people that he hoped weren't going to be in his class.

"Somei?! A stuck-up elitist, then? I should blow you to bi—GAH!?" "Aya-chan!?" Midoriya hadn't noticed the girl had left his side until he saw her hitting the back of Bakugou's head.

"The fuck is your problem!?" The blond yelled while rubbing his head with one hand and releasing his quirk in the other.

"Calm yourself, Baka-gou. Not everyone is able to handle your idiocy, nor should they." "HUH?! WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" His explosive anger was completely unacknowledged, as Ayano bowed to the rest of the class. "Please forgive this imbecile, and I apologize for his rudeness. However, you will most likely have to deal with this in the future as well." "DON'T IGNORE ME!"

Still not paying him any attention, Ayano bid Midoriya farewell. She began walking out of the room, causing Bakugou's screams to emanate throughout the hallway. After a couple more turns, she reached her own classroom, 1-H.

As soon as she opened the door, she was met with an awfully close pink-haired girl. "Sasaki! I have a brand-new baby to show you!" She inched even closer. "And my babies from the exam are even better and cuter!" She inched closer again. "Our babies can work together to produce a super cute mega baby!"

"Good morning, Mei." Some of the other students in the class were amazed, eyes bulging. They were surprised, not only by Mei's assertive and straightforward personality, but also by Ayano's seemingly indifferent attitude towards it.

Mei was about to pull out her 'babies' when the teacher arrived. "Alright, kiddos! Get in your seats before I make you get in them!" He gruffly shouted.

Ayano's eyes glistened with recognition. She was nowhere near as knowledgeable as Midoriya was in the subject of heroes, but she had a particular fondness for certain ones. Particularly, ones that had something to do with mechanics like Power Loader and the man standing in front of her.

"I'm your new homeroom teacher. Mechanic Hero: Junk Master." Murmurs were going around the class. Though he may not have been known too well in the world of heroes, he was especially popular with those from support companies and support course students. Ayano's father, in particular, was a fan of his and had introduced her to his work when she was young.

"Now that introductions are done, let's get on with your first test." The murmuring was immediately silenced, followed by screams.

"A test?!" "It's the first day and we already have a pop quiz?!" "I thought it was just going to be syllabus day!"

"Hey now! What's all this bellyaching about? You kids are the ones who chose to come to U.A. There ain't no rest for the weary, got that?" He gave a devilish grin. "This is what it means for 'Plus Ultra!' We don't got any need for any less, so suck it up and let's go!"

Many of the students groaned and others had horrified faces. The groaning, however, was disturbed by a mysterious laugh. "Fufufu!"

Ayano looked at the pink-haired girl next to her and smirked. "I suppose I'll get to see your babies after all." Mei snapped her goggles on. "To think that I could show the class my wonderful babies so soon!" She giggled, almost maniacally.

While everybody was thinking how weird the pair was, Junk Master gave a boisterous laugh. "Now that's the spirit! Alright, kiddies! Let's get a move on!"

The students followed him down to the Development Studio where they were met with Power Loader. "This is the workshop dedicated to costume adjustments managed by Power Loader here. It's safe to say that you'll probably be spending most of your school days in this studio, so get familiar with it." Junk Master grinned, giving many of the kids an eerie feeling.

"I'll go a little easy on you kids." He held up three fingers. "I want you to build a support item that enhances your quirk with only three materials. Anybody who can't, will be expelled on the spot!" Before any complaints could be heard, he quickly continued. "You've got one hour starting now! Get to it!"

All but one student dashed to the work stations. Ayano calmly walked up to the two staff members, gaining Power Loader's attention. "Oh, so you got in after all." She nodded to him and looked up at Junk Master.

"Sir, what should I be doing?" The man squinted his eyes at her. "What're you going on about? Didn't you hear what I said?" She nodded. "I did. However, what is my assignment if I am quirkless."

The teacher's eyes widened. "Quirkless? Well, you're a special case then, ain'tcha." He closed his eyes in thought. "Hmm, then you can improve some of your old creations if you have any. That's a little **too** easy though, so you'll be limited to only two materials instead of three."

Ayano immediately set out to work, digging out her bionic arm cover attached with the air cannon. Her eyes gleamed. She could finally get it to fulfill its original purpose: dousing fires.

The two men looked on as she worked. "So that's the one you were talking about, huh? From the sludge incident?" Power Loader nodded. "Didn't know she was quirkless though."

Junk Master hummed. "Compared to the rest, it's definitely a disadvantage." He looked at a boy with perfectly parted black hair. The boy was using his quirk to emit a thin flame from his finger, allowing him to use it like a soldering torch. "Especially if you compare it to the kids who have quirks perfectly suited for this type of thing."

Power Loader chuckled. "Yeah? Well it sure doesn't seem like she thinks so." The two men looked at Ayano. There was a small upwards tilt to her lips and her eyes were glossy, wide with excitement.

"We've got an interesting bunch this year."


	13. Chapter 13

Ayano heard the slamming of metal pieces onto the work station beside her. Paying it no mind, she continued her work as if she had heard nothing at all.

The boy, clearly perturbed by her behavior, tried fake coughing to get her attention. "Ahem!" This time, Ayano genuinely did not hear it, having gone into one of her normal zones. The boy's eye twitched in annoyance. He coughed once more, much louder than the last and nearly hurting his throat. "AHEM!"

Ayano had heard him, but chose not to turn her head. Most of her focus was still on her bionic arm cannon in front of her, as she opted to only glance at him in her peripheral vision. "…Can I help you?" She asked, giving him the bare minimum of her attention.

Though she had only glanced at him, she noticed his incredibly slanted and ferocious eyes. She vaguely recognized him to be the boy from the entrance exam. He was the one who made a scene and shouted at Present Mic along with that boy who wore glasses.

Still irked by her attitude, the boy spoke. "I'm Fujiyoshi Yuudai." "Sasaki Ayano." She quickly responded, clearly indicating that she had no intentions of continuing the conversation further. She had only given her name in response because it would be impolite to do otherwise.

Yuudai frowned, pretending to work on his invention while talking. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you and Junk Master speaking earlier. So, you're quirkless?" Ayano found no point in answering a question he already knew the answer to. She preferred to use her brain power on her work.

His frown deepened at her silence, quickly disappearing into a seemingly amiable smile once more. He picked up a piece of scrap metal and held it up to the light, pretending to inspect it to give off a sense of nonchalance. "That's pretty amazing, getting into U.A. without a quirk. You must be pretty good at making weapons then." His tone was very strange. It wasn't quite condescending and it wasn't quite mocking, but it also didn't seem like a genuine question. It most certainly didn't sound like a compliment either.

Assuming he wouldn't leave her alone, Ayano decided to humor him. "That would depend on what your definition of 'good' is. Regardless, there is always room for improvement." Yuudai's eye twitched in annoyance again.

It was a rather common phrase, one that many believed in. Yet, the way she said it, coupled with her impassive attitude, seemed to irritate him. "Well, you must be since you passed the entrance exam with flying colors. Your weapons must be top-quality. Those Hero Course kids will be lucky to have weapons made by you."

Ayano nearly slammed the screwdriver onto the table, unable to concentrate with his constant intrusion. She finally tore her eyes away from her invention and turned to look at him with her neutral face. "What exactly do you want?" It was less of a question than it was a demand.

Yuudai just blinked in confusion, not understanding what he had done to provoke her so. "I just wanted to get to know you, the person who seems to be at the top of the Support Course of us first-years."

There was a slight downwards tilt of Ayano's lips, though the frown only lasted for barely a second. So, that was his play, trying to cozy up to the people he thought would benefit him. It was no wonder his tone had agitated her so much.

"Maybe we could become partners and make weapons together." He continued. "I would prefer it if you would stop using that word." He blinked in confusion again. "What word?" "Weapons."

Yuudai chuckled. "But isn't that what us support students make?" Ayano now openly frowned. "I am a Support Course student, yes. As such, I make _support items_. Items to help heroes. It just so happens that weapons can also fall into that category. Making weapons is not my intention or my priority like you are suggesting."

Finally breaking his smile in front of her, Yuudai met her gaze head-on. "Items to help heroes, you say?" He scoffed. "As if they really need much help with their _amazing_ quirks. Don't they all just want more weapons? Something more to help them fight villains? Our job is to make weapons. There's really no difference if we make them for heroes or villains or even normal people, is there? It all ends up the same way, being used to create violence and chaos."

Ayano glared at him. "I do not make weapons for the purpose of destruction. I make support items to aid those in need."

Yuudai rolled his eyes. "Please! As if you're really doing this because you think you can help people. It's all for the money, isn't it?" He picked up a piece of scrap metal and lit up a flame on his finger, using it like a soldering torch. "This job is easy enough. Even if you make something the great heroes don't like, you still get paid for trying or you just make more modifications. You'll basically never be out of work because there isn't enough of us, and even if there is…" He smirked at her. "I bet some villains would pay a pretty hefty price for some quality weapons."

Ayano scowled at him. "I do not see why you chose to attend U.A. then. For a place that produces some of the top heroes, you seem to not care much for them or for which side you belong."

"Heroes have it all, don't they? They get the spotlight while people like us stand on the sidelines, forgotten. Most of us don't have quirks suited for combat, so becoming a hero is impossible for us. So, what does it matter if we help ourselves in any way we can? Heroes…villains…they're pretty much the same, don't you think? Either one could be a client. I'm just looking for which one could be the biggest." He smirked, bearing his teeth.

Ayano stared at him for a couple moments, discerning whether or not he was serious. "If that is really how you feel, then so be it. You have your own opinions and objectives. I have mine." She turned back to her work, deciding not to entertain him any further. "It appears that our views do not coincide. I would appreciate it if you do not bother me any further. I do not have the time for it and neither should you."

Yuudai was about to offer a retort when Junk Master's booming voice indicated their remaining time for the assignment, as if to prove Ayano's last statement. The boy gave a small growl, picked up his belongings, and marched away.

Ayano's hands still moved, but she turned her head slightly so that her eyes could follow his movements. She noted the irony in his name: Yuudai, meaning 'great hero.' He certainly didn't hold any desire or fondness for the occupation.

There wasn't anything particularly wrong with most of what he said. In fact, many people thought the same way. In a world dominated by heroes, it was more difficult to make a name for yourself and to live more comfortably. It wasn't uncommon for people to think of ways to make extra money on the side.

Even so, his words didn't exactly leave the impression of practicality. They held a bit more…resentment.

Ayano felt that this wouldn't be the last of their confrontations.

She went about her work and successfully modified her bionic arm cannon to her liking. Finishing her first day with little to no problem, she shared her experiences with Midoriya the next day on their walk to school.

* * *

"Uwaaah! Your homeroom teacher was intense on the first day too? U.A. really is something else…" Midoriya shivered at the thought. He had a worrisome enough first day with his own homeroom teacher and his quirk apprehension testing, but hearing of Ayano's teacher just reignited the anxiety.

"It's great that you passed though!" He smiled, though it disappeared in the next second. "D-Did anybody get expelled!?" She shook her head, causing the green-haired boy to release a sigh of relief.

He smiled at her. "Even though it seems like it'll be tough from here on out, I'm hoping things will go well for the both of us! We've both gotten through the first hurdle, right?" Ayano nodded and returned his smile.

She hummed in thought. "Junk Master said he had something more fun in store for today's lesson. Though, I am unsure if that means more fun for us or more fun for him." Midoriya shivered, growing worried for his friend.

"Good luck, Aya-chan!" He shouted as he walked into his classroom. The first half of the day was spent like any other general education school. It was the second half that he was really looking forward to.

Thinking that the class would be thrust into hero training, the boy was surprised to see Aizawa enter with Junk Master, Ayano's homeroom teacher.

The rest of the class was also surprised, waiting with bated breath. "There is no hero training today. Instead, it will be a joint lesson with students of the Support Course." Aizawa explained. Midoriya heard some sighs of disappointment and an annoyed click of the tongue from Bakugou.

Aizawa turned to Junk Master, allowing him to take over. He zipped himself up in his large, yellow sleeping bag.

"Alright, kiddos! Listen up!" Junk Master shouted. "All of you remember that you submitted your quirk registry and bodily specifications to the uniform subsidy for costume making, right?" His question was answered with excited nods and glimmers of hopeful eyes.

"Well, we have some pretty interesting first-years this year, so we decided to try something new. Rather than getting our support company to make your costumes like usual, we're letting the Support Course students do it!" As if on cue, a bunch of students entered the room to stand at the front behind him. Among them, Midoriya noticed Ayano with her normally impassive nature.

He gave a big smile, growing excited. So, _this_ is what Junk Master meant when he said he had something more fun planned!

"As class 1-A, you kids have some of the highest scores on the entrance exam and have some of the highest potential in becoming great heroes." He spread out his arms, like he was giving an exhibit of the students. "So, I've gathered some of the highest scorers on the Support Course entrance exam to make your costumes."

"Earlier today, each of them got copies of all of your individual requests and have reviewed them. Based on that, they're going to choose who they want to work with. We'll start with the top scorer, Sasaki Ayano." Midoriya beamed. He knew Ayano was amazing, but to be the top scorer? He grew excited at the chance to work with her.

Junk Master turned to her and asked, "Who do you choose, Sasaki?" Midoriya smiled when she turned to him, but he didn't know that she was actually looking _in front_ of him.

" **Bakugou Katsuki** "


	14. Chapter 14

" **Bakugou Katsuki** "

"Hah?" The boy gave a sound of confusion in that raspy way. Up until he heard his name, he paid very little attention to what was going on. If it wasn't hero training, he wasn't really interested.

Midoriya, on the other hand, had heard everything as clear as day. To say that he was shocked would be a severe understatement. He was looking between Bakugou and Ayano with bulging eyes.

He looked at Bakugou, who was scowling as usual, and he looked at Ayano, who he realized had been looking in front of him this whole time. She was meeting Bakugou's scowl with her expressionless face.

Mummers could be heard from the other students. To many, it made sense that the top scorer of the Support Exam would want to work with the top scorer of the Hero Exam. However, there was a much deeper meaning to Ayano and Midoriya.

At the continued silence from the boy, Junk Master coughed a bit. "Ahem! Well, what do you say Bakugou?" "Why the fuck would I want a shitty costume made by some support student when I could get one from the support company?" He asked rhetorically, not tearing his eyes away from Ayano's.

"I can see where you're coming from, kid. But this is an assignment that us U.A. teachers have already decided on. Of course, if you end up not liking the costume, you can just put in a request to have one made by the normal support company…Sasaki?" The girl had ignored Junk Master's words, slowly walking up to Bakugou's desk.

Midoriya gulped, not liking where this was going. He was very familiar with their confrontations, and he hoped this one wouldn't go too far.

"Perhaps you did not hear correctly with that thick skull of yours, but I was the top scorer of the Support Course entrance exam. If I were to make anything, it _would not_ be a 'shitty costume.' I simply would not allow it." Ayano was not the type to brag. Of course, she was aiming for the top, but she didn't care for bragging rights. She was simply stating it as a fact in order to get past Bakugou's stubbornness. She believed that his desire to be number one would surpass his hatred for her.

"I have absolute confidence that I could make you the best costume out of everyone here, not just because I was the top scorer, but because of who I am." She slapped her hand over her heart, giving pride to her words. "Other than you, I know your quirk better than anyone. I've seen it first-hand since childhood. I've even made support items with it in mind before. Do you honestly believe that someone else, who has only looked at your quirk on paper, could compare to me?"

She placed both hands onto his desk, leaning down to his eye level. "I intend to aim for the top, and I intend to _stay_ there. When we were children, I promised you that I would help get you there as well. The top where the number one hero stands. You said you wanted to be the number one hero, didn't you? Then you should be looking for only the best to accompany you." She stood straight again, crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a mocking look.

"Unless, of course…you're all just bark and no bite." Bakugou quickly stood up at that, knocking his chair backwards and leaving Midoriya to frantically catch it behind him. He glared at Ayano, giving her a toothy and malicious grin. He unleashed his quirk in quick pops, further intensifying his villain-like demeanor.

"You better be prepared then! Because I'm gonna run you _and_ your support items into the dirt if I don't like them!" She returned his glare head-on, rising to the challenge. "I'd like to see you try. I, nor my support items, will be so fragile."

Bakugou's quirk suddenly stopped, causing him to look past Ayano and at Aizawa. His black hair was floating about, revealing his fierce bloodshot eyes. The blond clicked his tongue in annoyance, flopping back down into his seat.

Ayano returned to stand at the front with her poker face, as if that whole altercation hadn't happened. Junk Master coughed in his hand again. "So, I take it that you accept, Bakugou?" "Didn't you hear me, you hunk of junk?! I'm gonna make sure to run her ragged because she asked for it!" He glared at Ayano again, gritting his teeth.

This time, she ignored him, opting to sift through some papers instead. She was looking at the requests he sent in and his bodily specifications, giving herself a head start on her work.

Midoriya was also staring at Ayano with a mixture of surprise and confusion. He was almost sure that she would've chosen him. It's not like he was competing with Bakugou, but Ayano acted so indifferent to making support items for Bakugou when he mentioned it in their junior high days. She seemed like she treated him as just another client, so it left Midoriya shocked to see her challenging him so.

Junk Master left the situation be and went down the line of students. "Alright! Now that you're all paired up, you have the rest of the period to discuss with your partners. Familiarize yourself with them and their quirks. The bonds you make now could prove to be invaluable in the future. Plus Ultra!"

Ayano walked up to Bakugou and slapped his request forms onto the desk. He saw that his costume drawings were on top. She had circled the drawing of some type of grenade-like bracers on his arm.

Pointing at it, she asked, "You want an item to help you fire your quirk at a distance?" While most of the other pairs were discussing the capabilities of their quirks or showing them off, there was no need for such a talk between these two. Ayano would much rather get straight to the point.

Bakugou nodded. "Not just that. I want something to hold my sweat and fire it off so that there won't be any drawbacks." He was acting civil now for the sake of his costume.

"That would also be the purpose of the grenades then." She pointed to the circular objects that he drew on his belt. She held her chin in thought with her index finger and her thumb, supporting that arm with her other.

Bakugou frowned at her. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want this shit so I can pussy out. I'm strong enough to deal with the recoil of my quirk, but I want these things just in case I end up in a drawn-out battle." Ayano nodded in understanding, not at all thinking that he was requesting the items to 'pussy out.'

"A test of endurance then." She confirmed. Contrary to popular belief, Bakugou was much smarter than he looked. His attitude needed to be worked on, but his fighting and tactical knowledge were definitely a cut above the rest.

"The grenades are simple. You can store your sweat in them beforehand. It is the bracers that are the problem. In order to fire your quirk at a much greater distance, it would need to hold much more of your sweat. In other words, you can't just store your sweat in them prior to a battle. It would have to be over time…" Ayano added her own drawings to his.

"You would need gloves to help you absorb the sweat from your palms and then transfer it into the bracers." She made a face at that, but kept to herself. Bakugou growled, "Is that a problem?" She looked at him briefly before focusing on the drawing again.

"Yes, it is. With the way your quirk is, I need to create something to absorb the sweat. However, given the force of your explosions, nearly any type of glove would be ripped to shreds at the first use." She grew silent, putting her hand to her mouth in thought again.

The blond was unsure if he should feel proud or frustrated at her statements. Proud because the strength of his quirk was giving her problems. Frustrated because… _the strength of his quirk was giving her problems._

Her eyes suddenly widened, her hand slowly moving away from her mouth. "Sorbothane…" She mumbled. "Sober-what?" "Sorbothane." She repeated, slower this time.

"It's one of the most efficient shock-absorbent materials out there. It could withstand the force of your explosions and could absorb the recoil! It can withstand the heat as well, since it can operate at high temperatures. It has a long fatigue life, so it will last you a while before you need repairs or modifications!" Ayano was waving her hands frantically, looking for room to write down everything she knew about the material.

She was speaking quickly, almost too fast for him to understand. A wide, excited smile was beginning to grow on her lips. She gasped, the smile disappearing. The girl snapped her head up to stare at Bakugou with wide eyes, causing him to slightly flinch and wonder what was wrong with her.

"Sorbothane will convert the energy of impact into heat…" She muttered in understanding. Bakugou joined in her shock, his eyes widening with realization. "Warming up the gloves every time I use my quirk…" Ayano nodded at him and continued. "Which will make your palms perspire quicker and more frequently…"

" _ **Making the explosions stronger every time!**_ " The two nearly shouted to each other in unison. The wide smile of excitement returned to Ayano's face. She quickly wrote down and drew a draft on a new set of paper, as well as inputting the information electronically through her projection wristband.

She was typing quickly on her arm, more and more information popping up on the holographic screen. Though her face was slightly obscured by the static screen, Bakugou could easily see the glimmer in her eyes and her broad smile. She hadn't noticed that he was now staring at her, and not with a scowl.

He wondered just how long it had been since he'd seen that look of passion and exhilaration on her.

Just as he was about to get lost in his thoughts, a derisive laugh was heard beside them. It was Fujiyoshi Yuudai. "Look at you, Miss Top Scorer. You gave me a lot of shit yesterday about wanting to find the 'biggest client,' and now look at you with Mister Top Scorer. See? You're no different from me after all."

Ayano scowled at the boy, surprising Bakugou even if he didn't exactly show it. In all the years that he knew her, it was very difficult to make her show such anger. In fact, it was hard to make her show any emotion at all for something other than machines.

It wasn't anything near rage, but it was much more than he ever saw on her. She didn't even direct that much anger at him when he threatened Deku. For some reason, her anger seemed to transfer over to him, causing him to glare at Yuudai.

Ayano had stopped typing in order to address the boy, a very rare thing. "My intentions and motivations are completely different from y—" "Listen here, shithead." The two support students snapped their heads to Bakugou.

"No different from you? Stop screwing around. She's on a completely different league from you. You think I'd let just anybody make my costume? Why don't you get to the top and at her level before you talk shit." The blond was met with a tense silence. Seething, Yuudai had nothing to say and turned back around to his own partner.

Seemingly satisfied, Bakugou slouched and crossed his arms, mumbling more insults. Ayano wasn't sure what she should be feeling. If anything, she just thought that all of this was…unexpected.

In the end, there was a tiny smile on her lips. "…Thank you, Bakugou." "I didn't do it for you! I can't have people thinking that my costume is going to suck. You better make it good, otherwise you'll make me look like an idiot."

The girl chuckled. "Well, there is no fear of that. You are _already_ an idiot." "THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?!"

Ayano just chuckled, ignoring him and returning to her work.


	15. Chapter 15

"…No, no no…I can't do that…It'd be too unstable…But what about…No, that's no good either…" Ayano was mumbling to herself as she was walking home with Midoriya. Her eyes were focused on the holographic screen in front of her, brows knitted together in thought about Bakugou's costume requests.

As her attention was divided, she was walking at a much slower pace, Midoriya following her speed. In fact, he was focused on something else as well: Ayano's choice in Bakugou for the costume assignment.

His own brows were furrowed, a slight frown set on his face. He didn't mean to seem arrogant, but he was almost sure that Ayano would've chosen him. Out of all the other people she could've chosen, he thought that Bakugou was most certainly not at the top of the list.

Finally unable to bear his curiosity, he cleared his throat in preparation to ask her about it. "U-Umm…Aya-chan…" She hummed in response, not tearing her eyes or focus away from the screen completely.

"Uh…well…I was just wondering…" Midoriya was scratching the back of his head, unsure of how to continue. His eyes were darting all around in the hopes of possibly finding something to help him say what's on his mind.

"…Y-You and K-Kacchan…Is everything okay?" It wasn't exactly the question he wanted to ask, but perhaps it would lead to what he really wanted to know. "Everything is fine." Ayano responded quickly, still maintaining her focus on her work.

The green-haired boy sighed. He should've known nothing would come out of that type of question. For things unrelated to support items and machines, Ayano was a person of few words. She normally spoke only when necessary and close to the minimum, dissuading further conversation. If he wanted to know something, he would have to ask directly.

"Why did you choose Kacchan…?" He asked in a very quiet voice, still unsure of himself. At his sullen sounding voice, Ayano decided that it would be best to give him her full attention. She shut off the screen and turned off the watch, turning to face him.

Midoriya met her unwavering eyes once before shifting his own away, unable to meet them again. "For the costume assignment…why did you choose Kacchan?" There was a slight downwards twitch of Ayano's lips as she thought about their first day of school.

* * *

" _Um…Aya-chan, could I ask you for some advice?" The brown-haired girl simply raised an eyebrow as the woman ushered her further inside. The two were now in the living room, the older fidgeting in place. "Is something bothering you, Inko-san?"_

 _The woman looked down, showing a face akin to embarrassment. "I'm just so happy that Izuku never gave up on his dream…and I'm ashamed that I stopped believing in him at one point." She shut her eyes tightly, as if hoping that she could shut that memory out._

 _Inko furiously shook her head and looked at Ayano with resolve deep in her eyes. "But I've decided to support him with everything I have from now on!" She dug into her pocket for her phone, pulling up a picture she took of her son's notebook._

 _It was the page in which he drew out an idea for his hero costume._

" _That's why I wanted to ask you for advice on making this!" She asked with a hopeful gleam. Ayano gently took the phone from her hands. She pinched her fingers in and out on the screen to enlarge the picture, scrolling around it. She gave a small smile when she saw the ear-like protrusions from the mask._

 _Handing the phone back to the woman, Ayano reached into her bag to pull out a pencil and a sheet of paper. She quickly wrote down a list of things and handed it to Inko. "This is a list of materials that you can use and obtain for a reasonable price."_

 _Inko took the paper, expressing incredible gratitude. "Should you require any other assistance, do not hesitate to contact me." "Thank you so much, Aya-chan!" The woman bowed profusely and with all of her effort. Ayano gazed at her with a tender smile._

 _She didn't tell her that she, herself, would not use those materials for a hero costume. However, Inko did not have the same sources as Ayano. The girl could only create such advanced gadgets because of her father. Being a mechanic, he often pulled some strings to get his daughter the resources that she wanted but even then, she was limited._

 _Inko did not have that luxury. As such, Ayano could only list the highest quality material within a certain budget._

 _She didn't tell her that out of all those materials she listed, not a single one would stand a chance in actual combat or what the heroes faced nowadays._

 _Even so, no amount of high-quality materials could stand a chance against Inko's love for her son._

* * *

Deciding not to reveal his mother's intentions, Ayano continued forward. "You will find out soon enough." Midoriya was clearly unsatisfied with her response, but he knew that he wouldn't get any more from her.

The two walked the rest of the way to school in silence. Midoriya walking in dejected silence and Ayano refocusing on her work. She felt slightly guilty, but she wasn't willing to reveal more information.

Upon reaching his classroom, they were met with a loud Bakugou. "HEY! I want this on my costume!" He smacked a piece of paper on top of his desk. It was another drawing of one of his requests.

Ayano took one glance at it and turned around to exit the classroom. "I refuse." "HAAAAH?! Why the fuck not?!"

She was violently tugged back around by him. "Applying such a change would only prove to be detrimental. It would slow down your movements. Your costume, as it is now, is being created as scheduled."

He scowled at her. "Aren't you the one always saying shit like 'there's always room for improvement'?" Ayano sighed.

"Yes, there is always room for improvement." She walked back to his desk and pushed a finger on top of his drawing. " _This_ …is not an improvement." "Are you saying my drawing sucks?" "I am saying your _idea_ sucks."

They proceeded to argue with each other, although it was rather one-sided on Bakugou's part. Like the rest of the class, Midoriya was looking at the mild disturbance.

He was still sad that he wouldn't get to work with Ayano, but he was also strangely happy. This was probably the most contact his two childhood friends had in a long while. It reminded him of their usual banter that they used to have.

Of course, it was much more violent given Bakugou's attitude now, but it was a step in the right direction.

He hoped that with this new opportunity, the two would come to be friends again. Come to be partners again, trying to achieve a similar goal.

* * *

Over the next few days, class 1-A and class 1-H met up with each other repeatedly to discuss the costume making progress and any adjustments.

After some time, each costume was finished and finally ready to be tested out during hero battle training. The students of class 1-A were showing each other their costumes, excitement and amazement clear in their voices. The students of class 1-H were equally excited, able to see their ideas come to fruition.

All Might and Junk Master met them all at Ground Beta, where the training would be taking place. "Hope you kids are pleased with your costumes! I know mine worked hard on them." Junk Master shouted with pride in his words.

All Might laughed. "All of the costumes look quite heroic, but let's put them to the test!" As they all walked to the training site, Ayano was explaining how Bakugou's grenade-like bracers worked.

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by Midoriya. "Aya-chan! Did you know about this?" She was fiddling with one of the grenades from Bakugou's belt, but she heard him. "Did I know about what?"

"My costume! Did you…Did you know my mom was going to make it? Is that why you didn't choose me…?" Bakugou basically always had a scowl on his face, but it deepened when Midoriya came over.

It deepened even further at his last question, along with a strong clenching of his teeth.

Ayano still hadn't turned to him and took her time in answering. "…You have a wonderful mother." The boy looked down with fondness in his gaze. "Yeah…I do!" With that, he ran off.

The brown-haired girl had yet to look away from the grenade, though she noticed Bakugou's dirty look in the corner of her eye. She didn't want to address it because she knew nothing good would come of it.

However, she did wonder exactly why his expression turned so sour. It was much worse than how it usually was when Midoriya made an appearance, indicating to her that there was something else at work.

Again, she decided not to push it and continued walking in silence with him to the training site. All Might proceeded to explain the purpose and rules of the training, drawing lots for the teams soon after.

"The heroes are Team A! The villains are Team D!" The three childhood friends jolted in surprise.

 _She didn't tell her that out of all those materials she listed, not a single one would stand a chance in actual combat or what the heroes faced nowadays._

Ayano sighed and put her head in her hand. She took massive pride in the costume she made for Bakugou, but she was beginning to wonder if she would regret her decisions.

As the pairs headed into the building, Ayano spoke out. "Bakugou!" He didn't turn around, only shifting his head slightly to look at her over his shoulder. His rage was taking over, and she could see it clearly in his eyes.

"…Do _not_ make me regret giving you that suit." She said in the most menacing voice she had ever used.

The problem was that, like usual, Bakugou's anger was clouding his judgment. He simply turned his head back forward and walked on. Ayano sighed, shaking her head.

She looked up at the building in which the battle training would be taking place with concern.

Ayano could only hope that it would not turn out as badly as she thought.


	16. Chapter 16

The rest of class 1-A and class 1-H were escorted to the basement monitor room. Ayano stared at the multiple screens in anxiety, conflict swimming inside her head.

She wasn't sure who she should be supporting. To others, the most obvious choice would be Bakugou. She made his costume, after all. The support students were observing the training as well to see just how well their work was. If the students of class 1-A performed well in this exercise, part of that could be attributed to their partners from 1-H, affecting their grade.

Unfortunately, things were not that simple.

In terms of relationships, Ayano had a much stronger one with Midoriya, having much more contact with him over the years. She had protected him from Bakugou's bullying countless times and had always supported him in his journey to become a hero.

However, there was nobody that she believed in more than Bakugou.

It was like this since they were children. His perseverance and incredible drive to be at the top drew her to him, and him to her. It was just extenuating circumstances that drew the two apart.

Ayano's inner conflict was interrupted when Bakugou performed a sneak attack on Midoriya.

It seemed as though she needn't worry though. She couldn't hear their conversation because there was no sound, but from Midoriya's demeanor and stance, it looked like he was truly sticking up to Bakugou.

Midoriya was the one who changed for the better. Bakugou hadn't.

Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides. Her eyes were scrunched closed as well, hoping to shut out the conflict. Releasing a deep breath to calm herself, she looked back at the screens with resolve reflected in her eyes.

Ayano's worries soon returned though when she saw Bakugou lift his right arm into the air. She forced her way to the front. "Stop the training!" She shouted frantically at All Might. He hesitated, not fully understanding her panic until he heard Bakugou's words through the micro transceiver.

That moment of hesitation from him was enough for her to make her own decision. Ayano yanked the microphone from him and shouted, "Katsuki! Don't you _dare_ use that on him or I will _**never**_ forgive you!"

It was too late, though. Bakugou unleashed the massive blast from his grenade bracers, destroying and shaking the building like it was in an earthquake. Everyone's eyes looked on in disbelief at the monitors and then to Ayano. Whisperings and murmurings could be heard from students of both classes.

"Are you serious?!" "I thought this was just practice!" "Are the support students even allowed to make something so dangerous!?" "Sasaki is just as crazy as that blond kid!"

Ayano was seething. Furious. **Livid**.

She pushed the microphone back into the man's hands. "You need to end this training. **Now**." Her glare was enough to shake even All Might a bit. Kirishima shouted in agreement, noting Bakugou's killing intent.

At his refusal to stop the match, he received an incredulous look from Ayano. Any other teacher would have stopped it immediately after that blast. What was stopping him?

The girl received her answer, watching the final blows between her two childhood friends. At the last moment, Midoriya released a punch up at the ceiling with massive air pressure.

It was the first time she had seen him use his 'miraculous quirk,' but it didn't _feel_ like the first time. Oddly enough, it felt very…familiar.

Ayano's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened as realization dawned on her.

Where Midoriya's quirk suddenly came from. All Might's sudden appearance in their district and his sudden teaching position at U.A. His reason for not stopping the training when any other teacher would.

Her wide eyes continuously glanced between the teacher and the monitors, still trying to process all of this information. She was struggling between rage and shock. Not only did she have to deal with her anger at Bakugou, but she had to calmly and collectively handle this revelation.

Overall, rage came out on top. She would deal with Midoriya and All Might's relation later. For now, she had to give Bakugou a piece of her mind.

* * *

"Well, I'd say the V.I.P in this battle was Iida!" After a lengthy explanation from Yaoyorozu, All Might went on. "W-Well, let's give the support students a chance to assess the performance of their costumes." Junk Master joined in. "We'll start with Iida's costume!"

His partner expressed any questions or concerns for the costume. They openly spoke of the capabilities and possible unexplored opportunities the costume could have in the future. The support student received critiques about the costume from both the students of class 1-A and 1-H as well as from both teachers. Afterwards, the classes moved on to discuss Uraraka's costume, going through similar critiques and observations.

Two students were particularly silent throughout the entire process.

Bakugou was mulling over his defeat and at Yaoyorozu's words. Ayano chose not to partake in the aftermath review of the costumes, attempting to reel in her anger instead. It seemed to multiply at the site of Bakugou in her costume.

Finally, it came to Bakugou and Ayano's turn to discuss the costume. There was an extremely tense and palpable silence surrounding the room. Not a single person moved a centimeter, feeling the fury radiating out of Ayano from her every pore. She was breathing slowly and largely, trying to calm herself but to no avail. Her hands were clenched tightly beside her, nails digging in so hard that they almost drew blood. She could hear her teeth grinding together and feel the blood in her veins boiling.

The blond had yet to meet her gaze. His eyes were downcast since coming back from the nearly destroyed building. He wasn't going to be the first to speak. In fact, he had nothing to say to her. His mind was elsewhere, and Ayano's anger appeared to be the least of his problems.

That is, until she acted.

Ayano suddenly lunged forward, throwing a hard punch right into his left jaw. Before he could fall backwards from the force, her arm thrust forward to grab him by the collar of his shirt. Using it, she pulled him along, took two big steps forward, and slammed him into the metal wall behind him with every ounce of her strength. He slid down the wall and didn't get back up.

Before she could do more, Kirishima rushed forward to hold her in place, locking his arms underneath each of her own. Ayano, however, did not struggle. She was breathing slightly more heavily and her head was hanging, causing her fringe and its shadow to cover most of her face.

She simply shifted her head just enough to look at Kirishima behind her. " **Release your hands.** " He was sure that she didn't have a quirk, but he swore those ferocious eyes could kill.

In his shock, he unknowingly loosened his grip on her, allowing her to pull herself away. Ayano walked back up to Bakugou, looking down at him with contempt as he sat there.

It was the worst look that he had ever gotten from her. Even worse than the time she told him that he could no longer push Midoriya around anymore.

Still standing above him, she finally spoke. "…The top hero?" She scoffed. "Get over yourself. What kind of hero acts like you? Your petty and inflated ego. Your conceited superiority complex. Your reckless and barbaric actions."

"I thought you could change. **I was wrong**. I wouldn't peg you for a hero even if you were the **worst one**." A look of horror was beginning to dawn on his face.

"I'm issuing Section IV, Clause 26 of the Support Items Act." Junk Master jolted in surprise. "Hey! Sasaki, kiddo! Are you sure about this?!" She ignored him, beginning to walk out of the monitor room.

The students of class 1-A looked at her teacher in confusion. "What does that mean?" He frowned. "That part of the Support Items Act states, in the event that a support department or individual support item creator deems the hero or user of their support item to be unheroic…the creator has all rights and authority to remove the item in question."

"It was first implemented as a way for the government to keep tabs on the actions of heroes when the use of quirks and heroes were not as widely accepted as it is today. That's not a problem anymore, but this part of the act is still used by support departments today. It's very rare though because they can't issue that order unless the user truly defies their beliefs by using the items in basically villainous ways, which almost never happens."

"In other words…Sasaki believes that Bakugou and his actions are truly too dangerous for her to give him the costume." Many of the students gasped. "T-Then that means…!"

"I'm taking my costume back." Ayano finished for them, glaring at Bakugou over her shoulder.

His eyes were wide in shock and horror. His mouth was open, lips quivering, and on the verge of hyperventilating. His hands were shaking in either anger or panic. Ayano turned her head back forward. She walked out of the monitor room without another word, the swish and click of the door echoing through his ears.

It was an automatic sliding door, but it had felt as though she slammed it right in his face.


	17. Chapter 17

" _If you'll be the number one hero someday, I want to know your name!" The boy's eyes widened and he turned back to her. He gave a toothy grin._

" _ **I'm Bakugou Katsuki! You better remember it!"**_

 _And remember it, she did._

" _Kacchan! Kacchan!" Thinking it was that Deku at first, the boy turned around with a scowl. The scowl was still present, but it's intensity lessened when he saw Ayano. "Who the heck are you?"_

 _The little girl tilted her head to the side, confused. "Sasaki Ayano! We met yesterday." Oh, right. She was Deku's friend. "Don't call me 'Kacchan.'" She blinked. "Why? Izu-kun calls you that, so I thought it was okay." "Well, it's not! So stop!"_

 _She hummed in thought. "Kacchan is better than calling you Bakugou though, so I'll keep calling you Kacchan." He growled in frustration. "So, you can call me 'Aya-chan!'" She offered as a compromise._

 _Ignoring her, he went back to playing in the sandbox. When she kept looking over his shoulder, he realized that she wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. "What do you want?" The girl beamed at finally being acknowledged._

" _Here!" She shoved something into his hands. It was a slingshot. Similar to the one she built yesterday but much more advanced. Rather than being made of wood from a tree branch, it was made of metal. The string was also made of latex bands and not just broken hair ties._

 _The simple weapon also had more parts to it than the makeshift one yesterday. The bottom of the handle extended forward with a gaping hole in it. It was an area to slip your arm through and hold the slingshot. The wrist brace would then rest on top of the arm._

 _After studying the slingshot, Bakugou's eyes returned to Ayano's very excited and anticipating ones. "I made a new and improved version of the one yesterday since I got good materials from my dad! Use it! Use it!" She shouted, pointing at a stray can._

 _The boy grimaced. The can was much further away than what they aimed at yesterday. He knew he was amazing, but there's no way he could hit that. It was just too far!_

 _But it wasn't._

 _The pebble shot into the can, right in the center. Maybe he was more amazing than he thought._

 _Ayano raised her arms into the air, jumping up and down twice. "Yes! It works!" Bakugou found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from her smile and excitement. He decided to use the slingshot again, hitting the same can many more times._

 _He stared at the slingshot. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, it was definitely better than the ones he and his friends made yesterday. "What's your name?" He asked, even though she had already told him twice now._

 _Still elated at the success of her gadget, Ayano was unfazed. "Sasaki Ayano. You can call me Aya-chan." He was about to say more when her mother called out for her. "Ayano! It's time to go home!" The girl quickly apologized to Bakugou and bid him farewell._

 _As she got up to run to her mother, he called out to her. "Hey, wait! Your slingshot!" She stared at him, contemplating something. "Hmm, that's okay! You can keep it." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?"_

" _I'm going to make lots of inventions and machines in the future. I'm going to be somebody who makes lots of things to help people in need, but I'm also going to make support items for amazing heroes! You said you're going to be the number one hero someday, right? Then, you'll definitely be the most amazing one and I'll make a bunch of support items for you. That slingshot can be the first!"_

 _Bakugou blushed at her forward words and extreme confidence. He quickly turned around, back to his little sandcastle, to hide the blush. "Th-That's right! I'll definitely be the number one hero! And the number one hero wouldn't need any support items because I'm already amazing by myself…" He peeked at her over his shoulder._

"… _But…I_ _ **guess**_ _I could…hold onto this for you…" Ayano gave him the widest smile she could manage. "See you tomorrow, Kacchan!"_

 _Over time, the two became very close, Ayano often bringing him new tools to test out. Although Bakugou wouldn't admit it, he would never reject her efforts. He made a show of not wanting to test her machines, saying a hero wouldn't need them, but he always did in the end._

 _He didn't like that Ayano was also friends with Deku and that she sometimes even made things for him, but he was willing to deal with it. After all, most of her attention was focused on Bakugou and most of her machines were made for him anyways._

 _At one of her most recent inventions, Bakugou was particularly astonished. "This is amazing, Ayano!" He continued to inspect, but realized she was silent. He shifted his gaze to her, seeing a shocked Ayano._

 _It was the first time that he had openly called one of her inventions amazing. It was the first time he didn't just try to brush it off._

" _No, Kacchan._ _ **You're**_ _the amazing one!" She laughed, earning him a faint blush that he quickly tried to hide. Amazing? Of course, he was!_

 _But so was she._

 _With how amazing he was and how amazing she was, there was no way he wouldn't become the number one hero!_

 _He already had his quirk, so they would become even_ _ **more**_ _amazing when she got hers! He couldn't wait to see what it would be. He was confident that it wouldn't be as good as his, but it would be pretty amazing because she was amazing. He was absolutely sure that she would always stand by his side like this, supporting him._

 _That is, until one day._

" _Did you hear? Deku doesn't have a quirk!" "Eh?" "Right! It's called being 'quirkless.'" "Sucks to be him."_

 _The blond laughed. Ha! Deku. He's…not awesome at all!_

 _Ayano would stop being friends with Deku for sure! Then, she could spend all her time with him!_

 _His eyes widened when she walked up to Midoriya and kneeled in front of him, giving him a compassionate look. The green-haired boy still held a devastated look with soulless eyes. He was jolted out if it when he felt Ayano slipping gloves onto his hands. It was the gloves they used to increase their grip. "A-Aya-chan…?" He questioned._

" _Do you remember these gloves? It's the ones I made so that you and Kacchan could do the monkey bars. They're even better now!" The boy flipped his hands around, noticing that they were indeed a bit different from before. "You…You're giving these to me…?" She nodded, prompting him to ask, "Why?"_

" _You said you're going to be a hero, right?" Bakugou's hands clenched at the familiar question. Midoriya looked down in sadness. "…Yeah, but I can't anymore." "Why not?" He just looked at her in confusion, as if the answer should be obvious. "W-Well…because I'm quirkless!" "So?"_

 _Even the rest of the class was looking at Ayano incredulously. She was supposed to be a smart one, yet she couldn't logically figure out something this simple?_

" _S-So I can't become a hero!" She frowned at him. "Sure you can!" He was feeling worse from talking about it. At his silence, Ayano continued. "I'm quirkless too, you know."_

 _Gasps were heard all around. "What!?" "What did she say?!" "Aya-chan's quirkless too? Did you know about this?"_

 _Midoriya's eyes were saucers, his mouth wide enough to easily catch flies. "I'm quirkless too…" She repeated. "…and I still build machines! I still build support items like this!" She gently lifted up his hands adorned with her gloves. "I can still make stuff, even if I'm quirkless. So, you can be a hero too!"_

 _He was beginning to feel better, but still wasn't fully convinced. "B-But…there's never been a hero without a quirk!" "Then you can be the first." She stated as if it were a matter of fact. Suddenly, his tears of sadness were turning to tears of joy at his friend's simple encouragement. She offered him a hug. He gratefully accepted, shaking in her arms._

 _Bakugou was shaking as well, but in anger and panic._

… _Quirkless? Did she say quirkless? …No…No! No! There's no way! This wasn't happening! She wasn't supposed to be quirkless! She can't be quirkless!_

 _She can't be like that quirkless Deku. She's nothing like him!_

 _He glared at Midoriya in Ayano's arms._

 _Stop touching her, you quirkless good-for-nothing! You don't deserve her! She deserves way better than you! She's supposed to stand by my side and only mine! And those gloves should be mine! She made them for me! She even said so herself!_

 _The two friends released each other, Midoriya wiping at his eyes. Ayano got up, lending him a hand that he took appreciatively. They went on to play with some blocks, brushing right past Bakugou._

 _Ayano hadn't even glanced at him._

 _His fists stiffened, his knuckles turning white._

 _She's quirkless…just like him. She's a quirkless good-for-nothing just like him! She's not amazing at all! How could some quirkless nobody stand by him? Him! Bakugou Katsuki! The boy who would become the number one hero and surpass even All Might!_

 _Who needs her! Like he said, the number one hero would be great even without any support items! He didn't need her! He never did!_

 _He pushed her away, while Midoriya pulled her in._

 _However, Bakugou would soon find out that pushing her away and forcing down his feelings would not be so easy._

 _Every time he saw them together, he would get this undeniable rage. Something he didn't fully understand himself. He thought that she would always stand by his side, but he didn't want to be seen with a quirkless nobody!_

" _Kacchan!" He flinched at the sound of her voice. "There you are! I have a new invention for you to test today." She exclaimed as she held out the object towards him. Her excitement soon died down at the sight of his distraught face. "…Is everything okay, Kacchan?"_

" _I don't need your help." He mumbled. Ayano's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?" He started unleashing explosions in quick pops, letting his anger get the best of him. "I said, I don't need your help!"_

" _But I've always made support items for you! What's different about this one?" She said, though she was close to shouting back at him. "It's not just this one! I don't need any of those! I'll become a hero without them! I don't need you! I don't need some quirkless good-for-nothing by my side!"_

 _He was breathing heavily at this point. "…Kacchan…" "And stop calling me Kacchan!" When she kept looking at him with a face of sadness and disappointment, he scrunched his eyes closed._

"… _I'm sorry. I just wanted you to test another item." She quietly spoke, taking a step towards him. "I SAID I DON'T NEED IT!" He swung around to avoid her outreached hand, furiously shrugging her off. In the process, he accidentally knocked her invention out of her hand._

 _Hearing the crash of metal against the hard ground, he hurriedly turned back around to see that bits and pieces of it had broken off. The sheer look of sorrow on Ayano's face devastated him. "A-Ayano, I didn't mea—" "Okay." He flinched at her calm interruption. "…What?" He asked, afraid to hear her answer._

 _The sorrowful look on her disappeared and was completely overtaken by a perfect poker face. "I said okay, Bakugou." He had never hated his family name more than right now. "If you don't need it, you don't need it. I'll just ask Izu-kun to test it." She said mechanically as she gathered all of the broken metal pieces off the floor._

" _Deku?! Why him!?" His anger returned with full force. "I'm making this for great heroes. You said you didn't need it, so I won't make you use it. Izu-kun is going to become a hero someday too, so that's why I'll ask him. I think he'll become an amazing hero." Ayano walked away, her impassive expression never faltering, although it came very close._

 _No…No! Those words were meant for him! For him! They were supposed to be for him!_ _ **He**_ _would become the amazing hero! Not Deku!_

" _ **I wouldn't peg you for a hero even if you were the worst one.**_ _"_

He lost.

He lost to Deku. A complete and utter defeat. He lost back then and he lost today.

And now, he lost Ayano too.


	18. Chapter 18

All Might burst into the nurse's room. "Recovery Girl! How is Young Midoriya's condition!? Wha—Young Sasaki!" His last words were muffled with large poofs of smoke. As the smoke dispersed, his true form was revealed, coughing and blood spilling from his mouth.

"…" The number one hero didn't dare to move a muscle. Recovery Girl sighed in annoyance, mentally admonishing him for his carelessness. Ayano simply stared at the new figure in front of her. Her face was still perfectly impassive, but she was no less surprised. It seemed like there were many more things that Midoriya was keeping secret.

After silently staring at the skinny man for a few more moments, Ayano returned her gaze to her unconscious friend. "Y-Young Sasaki, I can explain…" "There is no need. I have made my observations during the battle training. It became rather obvious after all of that."

Before he could delve into details, Ayano continued for him. "This was something that he did not share with his own mother, or even me. Clearly, it is not something meant for me or others to know. If you wish to clarify things for me, you may but again, there is no need." The man sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Young Sasa—" "However! I do have some words for you." She finally returned to looking at him. This time with a glare, causing him to gulp. "By not stopping the exercise when I and other students warned you, Izuku suffered severe damage, as did the training grounds. As a teacher, and even as an adult, this was a highly reckless and foolish act. Given your relation to him and your inexperience as a teacher, I am willing to let this be. Please do not let it happen again."

"O-Okay…You have my word." He put his hand over his heart to reinforce his sincerity. He was constantly being reminded of how hard it was to be a teacher.

Ayano gently brushed some of Midoriya's messy hair out of his face. She got up and slung her bag over her shoulder, preparing to leave. "Sasaki! You're not staying?" All Might asked. She simply shook her head, continuing to walk out. "It does not seem like he will wake up anytime soon, and I am sure that you have your own things to discuss in private. I also have someone I need to speak with." She gave a deep bow. "I apologize for any disrespect that I have shown towards you. I leave him in you care." She finished as she slid the door closed.

* * *

The brown-haired girl walked towards the Development Studio with a heavy heart. As she walked through the doors, she was met with her frowning homeroom teacher. "Sasaki, kiddo…Are you sure you want to go through with this? I know that Bakugou kid is a bit of a firecracker, but this is a pretty serious affair."

She looked him dead in the eye, simply taking the papers from his hands. "Firecracker would be a severe understatement. I have already made my decision. Please do not waste time trying to persuade me to do otherwise." She declared as she stuffed the stack of papers into her bag. Junk Master sighed, relenting.

As she left, Power Loader turned to his colleague. "You sure that was a good idea?" Junk Master continued to stare at the closed door. He smirked and looked at the man over his shoulder. "Yeah, those kids will be alright. That boy knows what he did." He pointed at his eyes. "And did you see Sasaki's eyes? She's got a good poker face for sure, but her eyes told a different story there. She won't go through with it."

Power Loader shrugged. "Whatever you say. It's your student."

* * *

Ayano stood waiting outside the gates, hoping to cross paths with a certain ash blond. She heard footsteps and was just about to stand away from the pillars when she heard a familiar voice. "Kacchan!" It appeared that Midoriya awoke much earlier than she had anticipated.

The girl quickly pressed her back against the pillar again, hiding herself completely. "I can't say much, but you should know this at least! I got my quirk from someone else." Her eyes widened.

Not because she didn't know that part. She had already deduced that from the battle training. She was surprised that Midoriya was revealing this to Bakugou. A piece of information so secretive that he did not tell even her or his own mother about.

Ayano sighed and her eyebrows furrowed. It seemed that she had a long way to go before she caught up to Bakugou. He really was amazing.

She was snapped out of her thoughts with Bakugou's shouting. "I…lost to you today! And as if that weren't enough…that icy bastard! No way I can measure up to him either! Ponytail girl said it all, really…and even Ayano! Even Ayano…she…she! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" He started to furiously swing his arms at his side. "Why?! You too…Deku!"

" **From here on, I…! From here on, y'hear me?! I'm gonna beat you all!** "

Ayano continued to stand with her back against the pillar. Her arms were lifeless, entire body limp. She was nearly sliding down the pillar with how loose her body was, the straps of her bag slowly falling off her shoulder. Her eyes stared off into space, her lips set into a thin line. Her ears perked at the distinct sound of Bakugou's sniffling.

" _I fear that at that point, he may not know how to take that. He'll realize that he isn't some big fish in a small pond. The pond is much bigger than he thinks and there is much bigger prey than him. I have no idea how he'll react, but I doubt that this will bode well."_

This wasn't how she thought he would react at all. Not by a longshot.

If anything, she believed his superiority and inferiority complex would have completely taken over him. In a sense, it had, but he was still in control somehow.

Today's events didn't bring him down. _**It only brought him up**_.

Had he really listened to what she said? Was he really repenting? Was he serious about it all? She couldn't stand his actions today, using her costume in the way that he had.

Right now though…right now…he was just like when they were younger.

" _I'm gonna become the number one hero someday!"_

That confidence. That determination. That perseverance. That charisma.

It was all there. It was all there, and even more.

It was something he had that she could never turn away from. Not when they were younger, and not now.

" _I really don't think that I can do much for him like you believe. If I could, I wouldn't be worrying about this. The only thing I can do for him is support him as I have in the past…" She looked at her invention sitting on the table. "…and even then, it really isn't much."_

Ayano bit her lip, nearly drawing blood. She looked into her bag, pulling out the stack of papers she received from Junk Master. She laid the pile flat on her palms, letting the weight of it and her actions sink in. She rubbed a hand over her face in frustration. Was this really the right choice?

Her decision was made when she heard his voice again. "Get off me, All Might. I can't walk. Needless to say, I'll be a hero who surpasses even you!" Ayano chuckled quietly, feeling a sting in the back of her eyes that she hadn't felt in a long time. She quickly composed herself before anything came from it.

Ayano shoved the papers back into her bag when she noticed that there was a peculiar partition between the stack. She smiled, making a mental note to thank her homeroom teacher.

Bakugou finally made it to where she was standing. Noticing her, he turned away, furiously drying his tears. He mumbled into his arm, "I'll show you, too. I'll become the best hero even without your costume!" She gently smiled at him, although he was too busy rubbing at his eyes to see.

He was right. He didn't need her…but he sure as hell could benefit from her help. " _The only thing I can do for him is support him as I have in the past._ "

As long as he was dead set on his goal from back then, she would be there. As long as he never wavered from his ideals, she would be there. As long as he would never change, she would be there.

She slowly walked towards him, handing him a stack of papers. Bakugou grit his teeth in frustration, thinking that those were the forms about him losing the rights to the costume. He saw the heading through his blurry vision.

 **Section IV, Clause 27 of the Support Items Act**

He wasn't exactly of the right state of mind, but he was sure that she had mentioned Clause 26 and not Clause 27.

"Section IV, Clause 27 of the Support Items Act. In the event that a hero or user of the support item has redeemed themselves in the eyes of the support department or individual support item creator…the person in question may gain back rights to the support item under supervision of the creator." Bakugou's head shot up to look at Ayano. She turned her head slightly to the right, just avoiding his eyes for some reason.

"In other words…I am placing you on probation…" His eyes were wide, the tears stopping from the shock. He was about to say something, but he grit his teeth.

There were two emotions swirling in his eyes. Relief and frustration.

He was relieved. She had not fully forgiven him, but she had also not fully given up on him. Somehow. Someway. She still believed he could become a hero.

Yet, he felt like he didn't earn it. He didn't earn it at all. There should be no reason why she was forgiving him at all. He wanted this and he didn't want it at the same time. He wanted a definite confirmation from her. He wanted her unconditional, indisputable, and complete support.

Ayano saw how hard he was clutching at the papers. "You are allowed to keep the grenades, but I am confiscating one bracer. I will also be receiving reports from your teachers on your behavior to ensure that you are using my costume for its intended purpose."

When he still didn't look back up at her, she also looked down with slight sadness in her eyes. "I have no use for such a costume…" She quietly and slowly started out. "…It was meant for a great hero, not an inventor. It would be far more useful in your hands."

Bakugou raised his head, seeing Ayano about an arms-length away from him. Her head tilted down and to the side, causing her fringe to fall forward.

There was the slightest hint of pink upon her cheeks.

He was happy, but still frustrated. He relented, mumbling. "I told you that I don't need your costume or your help…" She looked at him while he was rubbing at his cheeks to remove the dry tear marks. "…But if you don't need it…I _guess_ I could…hold onto it for you."

Ayano released a single breath of laughter, smiling at the words he used to say so often as a child. "You really haven't changed at all…" She laughed to herself again at the irony of her words.

Bakugou's eyes didn't leave her features for a second, incredible relief filling his own. Her smile was back and the glower that he feared was no longer there.

Noticing his stare, she tried covering for herself. "You're still such a crybaby, even now."

"SHUT UP!"


	19. Chapter 19

"U-Umm, Aya-chan…Y-You really don't have to walk me to my classroom. It's not a big deal!" Midoriya managed to squeak out after walking into the school, shaking off some reporters asking about All Might.

She glanced at him in her peripheral vision and looked back forward within the same second. "Perhaps not, but you are aware that I need to pass your classroom before I can get to my own, yes?" He flinched, having forgotten that. He was just so used to the two of them walking to school together. The problem wasn't that he didn't want to walk with her anymore.

The problem was that he didn't want her and Bakugou to meet.

Ever since the whole battle training fiasco, he wasn't sure what she was thinking. Ayano hadn't mentioned anything about it. Like always, she didn't even show much emotion. Midoriya was too afraid to ask her anything for various reasons.

He wasn't sure what had happened after he knocked out, but Ayano was apparently furious at Bakugou. The green-haired boy had never even seen her enraged before and if what his classmates had told him was true, he didn't want to.

He also didn't want to ask for his own well-being. He had used One For All in that battle, after all. He was well aware of how observant Ayano was. He could never hide anything from her, but he didn't want to ask just to confirm his suspicions.

If she didn't say anything because she didn't know, that would be great. If she didn't say anything because she was being considerate, that was also fine. He just knew that they would have to talk about it eventually. He wasn't ready for that now.

"Even if there was an alternate route to my classroom, I still have matters to attend to in yours." Before he knew it, Ayano had quickly slid the large door open. "A-AYA-CHAN!?"

Much of the class had looked at the entrance. Bakugou had looked as well. He grew angry at seeing the two childhood friends together, but his shame took over when he met Ayano's eyes. The boy just clicked his tongue and shifted his head to look at the wall.

The class was silent, not knowing what exactly their relationship was or if they had reconciled at all.

Ayano plainly walked up to the boy's desk, not sparing any glances at his classmate's curious gazes. Using both hands, she took out a gigantic pile of papers from her bag. She released her grip, letting them plop onto the wooden surface and creating a resonating sound within the silent room.

Bakugou's eye twitched. "The fuck is this?" "The other half of the paperwork for your costume." "Huh?!"

"Did you think I was joking?" The class gulped along with Midoriya. It seemed she was serious about taking away his costume. "I told you that you are on probation. You can have the costume back only after completing these forms." She walked away from him.

Midoriya blinked. Probation? Have the costume 'back'? Were they on okay terms again?

"Oh." Pausing for a moment, releasing the sound. She looked back at Bakugou over her shoulder. "It would be in your best interest to complete those before lunch, as you will probably want your costume before hero training starts in the afternoon."

"How the hell am I supposed to do all of this before lunch?! I have class too!" Ayano walked back to him. She propped one hand onto his desk, the other placed on her hip. Leaning towards him with their faces inches apart, he grew flustered but tried his best not to show it.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were going to 'run me and my support items into the dirt'? How exactly are you going to accomplish that _without_ my costume? Furthermore, the future number one hero is unable to even complete simple paperwork? How embarrassing. Perhaps I should take this costume away after all, and give it to somebody worthy." She began taking away the papers.

A couple veins popped onto Bakugou's forehead and his eyes grew ablaze. He snatched back the pile, shouting obscenities. "I'll show you!" He screamed, quickly writing with his pen, nearly tearing through the paper.

Ayano held in her chuckle. Although, she couldn't do the same for her small smile. Maybe it was better to say that it was closer to a smirk. It was simply too easy to rile him up. He always rose to the challenge.

"You know, I'm starting to see why you guys were friends." Kirishima noted off-handedly to Midoriya, many of his other classmates nodding in agreement. "Yeah! Their personalities are so different but after yesterday, we saw that she's just as intense as Bakugou." Kaminari added.

"They're both pretty scary, but did you see how well they worked together? They're surprisingly a crazy good combo!" Mina exclaimed. "The strong are stronger together…" Tokoyami stated.

Midoriya stared at his two childhood friends, Bakugou furiously scribbling and Ayano barely maintaining her poker face. The boy smiled.

It seemed that he had worried for nothing.

* * *

As lunch rolled around, Iida, Uraraka, Midoriya, and Ayano all searched for a spot to sit among the crowds of people. "Eh? Aya-chan, you're not buying lunch?" Uraraka questioned. The girl shook her head. "It is far more nutritional and economical to prepare my own lunch." Suddenly, she was yanked backwards, Bakugou gripping tightly to her wrist.

"May I help you?" Ayano asked with a raised brow. "Help me with the paperwork." He demanded as he pulled her arm again. "Why? There is literally nothing on there that requires any thought. All you have to do is sign and initial your name where I did."

"Just come with me, okay!?" The blond shouted before he dragged Ayano away. The trio stood in shock for a moment before Iida flailed his hands about. "Midoriya! Was it alright to let that happen!?" The green-haired boy gave his friend one look before looking back at Bakugou pulling away an annoyed Ayano.

He smiled gently. "Yeah, it's okay."

* * *

Ayano stared at the filled-out stack of papers in front of her. She shook her head in disbelief. "I knew that was a complete and utter lie. If you wanted to have lunch with me, you could have just said so."

"Who the hell would want to have lunch with a weirdo like you?!" Bakugou yelled, viciously biting into his food. She gave him a deadpan expression, but he refused to look back at her.

Deciding to let it go, she started to unwrap her lunchbox but was interrupted by loud sirens. Suddenly, the loud cafeteria was made even louder as panic erupted from the students. Everyone was frantically getting out of their seats and rushing to the exit, Ayano getting knocked around here and there.

She felt a familiar grip on her wrist. "Shit! What the hell is going on!?" She barely heard him among the other shouts. The two slammed against the large windows, Bakugou pushing himself off and standing in front of her. His palms were pushed against the glass, one on either side of her, acting as a barrier to the stampede.

The two stood in place, Ayano's back against the glass and her front pushed up against Bakugou's chest. They were being jostled a bit, but Bakugou held his ground, forcing students to go around them. At a particularly hard push he shouted, "Watch where you're going, retard!"

The girl gazed up at the ceiling, noticing support beams across them. She grabbed the bionic arm cover from her bag and slipped it on, shooting the grappling hook up at the beams. She quickly ascended, pulling Bakugou up with her. He yelped, though he probably shouldn't have been too surprised. She was always carrying some weird invention with her, always having something up her sleeve.

They reached the support beam, pulling themselves the rest of the way up to sit upon it. Ayano looked down, seeing the many heads of the frightened students. "What a bunch of mooks, getting scared about some dumb alarm." Bakugou stated. For once, Ayano had to agree with him.

This was a school breeding students with the highest potential of becoming heroes. Not to mention that there were literally hundreds of them in this room right now. Did really none of them think they could stand up to whatever was invading the premises?

Ayano pulled out her lunchbox. "Wha—you brought that thing with you?" He shouldn't have been surprised at the bionic arm cover, but he certainly could be surprised at this. The alarm sounded when she was just about to unwrap her lunch. When did she even have the time to think about taking it with her in this frenzy?

"Of course. Why would I waste a perfectly good lunchbox, a perfectly good cloth, and perfectly good food?" She asked rhetorically, easily placing the box in her lap and beginning to eat.

Bakugou's mouth was open in shock. He soon relaxed the muscles, giving a short breath of laughter. There really was no telling what this girl would do and there really was nothing she _couldn't_ do.

Truly amazing.

Just as he opened his mouth to say something, a piece of her tamagoyaki was shoved into it. He nearly choked, unsure whether he should glare at her or look at her with confusion.

"You left your lunch down there. You have basic hero training after this. It would be wise that you do not work on an empty stomach." Bakugou quickly tried to hide his blush, especially after seeing her take a bite.

It was the same chopsticks, the same part of the tamagoyaki. She hadn't even thought twice about it or wiped the utensil. He willed the blush back.

Instead of shoving it down his throat like the first time, Ayano held out another piece of food in front of him, waiting for him to eat it himself. She looked forward at nothing in particular, still chewing her piece. The girl acted as if this were completely normal and not something totally embarrassing.

Not wanting to lose to her, Bakugou lunged his head forward to chomp at the food. "Stop biting so hard. You'll break the chopsticks." She reprimanded, using them again.

"Shut up!" He shouted back, although the words sounded jumbled because of his full mouth.


	20. Chapter 20

"You sure gave me quite a scare there, Sasaki." The girl deeply bowed to him in a perfect ninety-degree fashion. "I apologize for my behavior. I acted irrationally and allowed my foolishness to cloud my sense of judgement." She raised her head to look him directly in the eye. "Thank you for your warnings. Your guidance is very much appreciated." She expressed her gratitude, referring to the Support Items Act papers he slipped into her hands without her knowledge.

Junk Master sighed, giving an uncomfortable smile. "You know, there isn't any shame in letting your emotions take over. We all have things we're passionate about. You and that Bakugou kid, both." He picked up one of the bracers from Bakugou's costume. The confiscated one. "Unlike the stuff you work with, you're not a machine, Sasaki."

"But good lord is this thing dangerous! I'm glad he only has one of them now. Where on Earth did you even get the idea for something this crazy!?" Ayano grimaced. "Perhaps I was too liberal with the explosive output…or perhaps I underestimated the dormant potential of his quirk."

She gently took the grenade-like bracer from her teacher's hands, inspecting its every nook and cranny. "It is indeed too dangerous – That is exactly why I took it away from him." She sighed in a way that sounded slightly like defeat. "…Though I must admit…it does suit him."

Junk Master chuckled, "He definitely has an 'explosive' personality. Just make sure to keep him in check, would you?" She gave a firm nod. With that, she returned to her work station.

As soon as she did, she was met with a blur of pink. "Sasaki! That is one wonderful baby! Have you ever thought about doing this to it!?" The girl unraveled a wide piece of paper, revealing blue prints of her ideas.

"Your enthusiasm is appreciated, Mei, but I would like to think over some things on my own for now." Mei was not discouraged in the slightest. "Fufufu! Well, if you ever think about something you might like, you can come to me! I'm sure I'll have a baby that suits your needs!"

Ayano watched Mei practically skipping back to her pile of inventions, thinking about how many the girl has already made in the span of a few days. She smirked to herself, being reminded of how behind she was with what happened.

As she was about to get back to work, an irritating voice interrupted her. "Our teacher's right; that weapon is way too dangerous." Ayano turned to Yuudai with her usual impassive face tinged with annoyance.

"If you ask me, it'd fit a villain more than a hero. But I guess that's what you were aiming for, right? What were your words again? 'I wouldn't peg you for a hero even if you were the worst one'?" He laughed derisively. "That's rich, coming from you. Even you think he's dangerous, and yet you made that? I thought you were some goody-two-shoes with all your nonsense about making support items to help people, but you're also dangerous."

Choosing to ignore him, Ayano turned back to her station. She had no time for his drivel. He could say whatever he wanted about her and her ideals. She would never waver from them no matter what he said.

"Well, I guess it all worked out in the end. A weapon that's better suited for a villain, and a hero that's better suited to be a villain!" Ayano's breath caught in her throat and her teeth clenched. Yuudai laughed again, seeing the pause in her movements.

"Oh? Did I strike a nerve there? You seem to care little about yourself but when I talk about him, you clam up. You're usually pretty mouthy to me, but you can't say anything because you know I'm right. He's dangerous. You confiscating part of the costume proves that you think so too!" Her hands started to shake. She clenched them to return to a sense of control.

Yuudai scoffed. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if real villains came here and recognized him as a potential ally. He'd probably feel right at home in their recruitment process!" His laughter was ceased by Ayano's hard grip on his collar, pulling at his tie and slightly choking him in the process.

"Listen here, shi—" "JUNK MASTER!" Power Loader burst into the studio, no restraint in his voice. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his chest. Most of his face was obscured by his yellow helmet, but everyone could easily see the signs of distress.

"There's a villain attack at USJ! We have to get there quick, it's just Thirteen and Aizawa there!" Yuudai immediately felt air circulating back through his throat and lungs. Ayano had nearly lunged for her bag, frantically digging for her support items.

If Aizawa was there, then that would mean Class 1-A was there too.

"Oh no you don't! Sasaki, I understand how you're feeling right now, but this is serious. We're dealing with villains. I need you to stay here!" Junk Master scolded her while gearing up. "I cannot just stand here while m—" She began protesting, but her elbow was yanked back by Yuudai.

"This goes for all of you as well. Stay. Here." The automatic door slid shut, finalizing his commands. Many of the students began whispering, speculating about what was happening. Ayano stared after Junk Master's back, eyebrows furrowing when the door shut.

Her fists were clenched tightly. Realizing that Yuudai was still gripping her wrist, she swung herself around to reprimand him. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but his look of sheer terror stopped her.

He composed himself rather well if he was able to hold her back in his current state. He looked to be on the verge of hyperventilating. His eyes were wide and his hands were shaking rapidly, on the cusp of shivering. He slowly inhaled and exhaled, his shaking gradually subsiding.

" _You know, I wouldn't be surprised if real villains came here and recognized him as a potential ally_."

Ayano narrowed her eyes at the boy. It seemed like he was in a lot of shock because of the timing. Villains came around just when he said all of that. He was the type to spout nonsense just to provoke others, but having such words come true was probably too much for him.

It was normal to be shocked. Most of their classmates were wide-eyed themselves, but this was a different level. She was once again amazed that he was able to stop her earlier. Was there some sort of trauma that he had regarding villains?

The brown-haired girl followed his breathing pattern, inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm herself. She was no longer angry at the boy, her uneasiness washing over her.

Ayano looked at the grenade-like bracer, laying her hand on top of it like in some sort of prayer or to look for some sort of comfort.

* * *

Ayano quickly slid the infirmary door open, although she still took care in not slamming it. "Aya-chan!" "Young Sasaki!"

The girl was slightly out of breath, having run here as soon as Junk Master had given her the 'okay.' It was a mixture of the running and her worries.

She nodded her head at Recovery Girl and All Might, acknowledging their presence, but she veered towards Midoriya with quick steps. The girl observed her childhood friend up and down with careful eyes. She gripped his hands, examining them for any scars, knowing full well what his new quirk could do to them.

"I-I'm fine, Aya-chan! Really!" He waved the hand that she wasn't grabbing back and forth, frantically trying to reassure her. She stared into his eyes, looking for any signs of a lie. "I already got healed by Recovery Girl. It's okay!" He gave her a sheepish smile.

Ayano turned to All Might, causing the man to flinch. He lifted his hands up in surrender. "M-Me too! I'll be sure to take better care of myself." He responded, although she hadn't even said anything to him. Somehow, he just had a feeling that she would've reprimanded him.

"O-Oh! U-Umm, Aya-chan! Th-This man…is…um…!" "Is All Might." She finished for him.

"Eh?"

"This man is All Might." She repeated, as if it were so simple. Well, it really was that simple. It's just that Midoriya was in shock and couldn't process everything correctly. "There is no need for concern. I will not reveal your secrets."

Without saying another word, Ayano reached into her bag and pulled out a small case. She took Midoriya's hand and placed a single pill into his open palm. At his questioning gaze, all she responded with was, "Stamina pill."

He obediently swallowed it, gratefully taking a swig of water from her offered bottle. As soon as it was all washed down, he felt a boost of energy. "Wow! I don't feel any of the tiredness from Recovery Girl's healing!"

Ayano took to her projection wristband, recording him. "It works." "Wha—Did you just test it on me!? Aya-chan!" "It works, doesn't it." "That's not the point!" Midoriya wasn't mad. He just laughed at her antics, appreciating his friend even more.

He almost cried. She had known about his quirk and his relation to All Might all along. She never pressed him for details, only ever being concerned for his well-being. Was he really friends with somebody so amazing?

He wiped the emerging tears from his eyes just to see her walking towards the door. "Aya-chan? Where are you going?"

"To check on another idiot." She responded as she slipped out.

Her words were harsh, but Midoriya saw the small worry in her features. He smiled, hoping she wouldn't scold Bakugou too much.

* * *

Knowing Bakugou, he probably didn't even wait for permission to go back home. As such, Ayano skipped looking for him in his classroom, opting to travel the pathway towards their houses.

She eventually got a view of the ash blond with his hands tucked into the pockets of his sagging pants. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out an object to throw at him. Her aim hit the target as intended.

"Ow! Hey, what the fuck!? Who did that!? I'll kill you!" He shouted, trying to grab the thrown object. It was now stuck to his back, out of his reach. Ayano sighed. "Is that, in any way, how a hero should talk?" He turned to her with a glare. He should have known that she would be the only one to try a stunt like this.

 _ **Scan complete. Subject is in excellent physical health. Internal sensors indicate temporary increased levels of testosterone, decreased levels of cortisol, and an increased heart rate. All indicators of the emotion, anger.**_

Ayano scoffed. Of course. She pulled the spherical object from his back. Bakugou recognized it to be the same one from the entrance exam that healed the cut on his cheek.

He watched her press a few buttons on its surface, recording his internal and external readings into the system and transferring them to her watch. The two of them walked along in silence, Ayano focusing on her watch and Bakugou stealing side glances at her. "…The costume…" The blond began mumbling, surprising her.

"…it helped…"

Ayano's finger stopped in mid-air, in mid-click. She quickly turned towards him, her face unreadable.

Bakugou's face, however, was an open book for all his emotions. Like always, he turned his face away from her to try and hide the growing blush that he felt. "Don't get me wrong though! I didn't need it! I'm just saying it was okay to have it with me as a backup! Not that I would need it!" He repeated.

Ayano held in her laughter, hiding her smile behind her hand.

"You really are an idiot. Baka-gou. BaKatsuki…Dumbass." "You didn't even try with that last one!"


	21. Chapter 21

With the villain attack at USJ, the entire school was given the next day off to recuperate. Given this opportunity, Sasaki Asuka and Bakugou Mitsuki wasted no time in checking in on the other. This time, the dinner get-together was being held in the Sasaki household.

"Uwaahh! Hearing about the villain invasion on the news really gave me a scare! Ayano isn't in the hero course, but still! I'm glad Little Katsuki was unharmed in the incident." Asuka exclaimed. The aforementioned boy clicked his tongue at being called 'Little Katsuki.'

Mitsuki just laughed, brushing it off. "Pfft. If Katsuki was dumb enough to get hurt by those chumps, then he deserves it." She smacked the back of her son's head. "Piss off, you old hag!" "Don't talk to your mother like that!" Asuka giggled. "I'm glad he's well enough to be so energetic. Come in! Come in! I prepared some of your favorites tonight!"

Once again, Katsuki and Ayano were seated across from each other, both quite detached from their parents' conversation. Ayano was eating her dinner in silence as usual, paying no mind to the things going on around her and barely registering the taste of her food. Her mind was focused on her inventions, knowing that Junk Master would have a new assignment for them soon.

Katsuki was distracted as well, being reminded of that time when the alarm sounded in U.A. during lunchtime. His eyes travelled to Ayano's chopsticks as they were raised to her lips, following their movements as she chewed her food.

He buried his mouth into the palm of his hand, stabbing his food and moving it about. He began mumbling obscenities, feeling his cheeks become slightly hotter. "Katsuki! Stop mumbling and playing with your food! Don't waste Asuka's efforts!" In response, he took a large portion of food and gave it an angry chomp.

* * *

After dinner, the parents continued to have their own separate conversations while the teens were left alone. Without giving him any warning, Ayano pulled on the back of Katsuki's collar. She began half-choking him and half-dragging him towards her room. "Hey! Get off me!"

When she finally let go, he realized that they were now in her bedroom. His eyes darted here and there. He hadn't been in her room since they were young, but it hadn't changed very much. If it weren't for all of the machines and tools lying about, her room would've been very empty – her bed and her desk being the only things left in it.

He thought that it was very much like her.

One invention, in particular, caught his eye. It was his confiscated grenade bracer. He walked up to it, examining it for any differences. The outside looked no different.

Ayano remained silent, having brought him to her room for this purpose. The blond slipped the bracer on, enjoying the familiar warmth and fit of it. Although the outside looked no different, the inside felt slightly off. He opened and closed his fist, stretching out the fabric and trying to decipher the difference.

"Ten minutes." He turned towards her, seeing her holding up all ten of her fingers. "It will only take ten minutes for the bracer to fill with your sweat. That is, of course, if you are moving and sweating as much as I think you will in battle."

"Previously, it took approximately fifteen minutes for the bracers to be ready. Five minutes may not seem like a lot, but it could mean the difference between a victory and a defeat." Katsuki smirked, liking the sound of this.

"I interwove more absorbent fabric into the gloves in order to decrease the wait time. It is also for more comfort, as sorbothane is quite stiff in its raw form. This allows your hands and fingers to have more range of movement without having to sacrifice any explosive power." Katsuki unleashed a flurry of explosions from his hand, as if to make sure she was telling the truth. Although, he didn't doubt her for even a second.

Ayano pulled up her projection wristband, recording his movements and saving them for future analysis. While the boy was focused on the improved support item, he missed the faint smile that grew on her face.

Asuka and Mitsuki spied on them from the doorway, completely unnoticed. They looked at each other and smiled, happy that their children were slowly returning to the way things once were.

* * *

The next day, classes resumed. The students were informed that, despite the villain invasion, the U.A. Sports Festival would continue as planned. After lunch, basic hero training for Class 1-A began. In preparation for the Sports Festival, the students had free reign to experiment and hone their skills on one of the many training grounds of U.A.

Upon reaching the training site, the students of Class 1-A noticed that Class 1-H was there as well. "Oh, Aizawa! Sorry about this, we were just getting ready to leave." Aizawa nodded to him in greeting. "It's fine. We just got here." He said, voice incredibly muffled by the bandages wrapping his face.

Junk Master turned back around towards one of the rocky cliffs. Some of the 1-A students were shocked when a large chunk of it was blasted off by nothing but air pressure. Luckily, none of the rocks were blasted in their direction.

"Hey, Sasaki! Watch where you're aiming that thing! Would you give it a rest already, Class 1-A is already here!" Junk Master scolded the girl. It was then that Bakugou and Midoriya both noticed that all of 1-H was already prepared to board the shuttle bus to return to the main campus.

Suddenly, the brown-haired girl appeared in their sight. She skid across the ground to reach her next target, barely sparing her teacher a glance. "One more time." She replied. "Wha—? Did you not hear me?! Class 1-A is already here, it's their time to use the training site."

The girl simply held up her wrist, showing him her watch. "They are early. Six minutes early to be exact. Besides, this trial will be quick." "That's not the point!" A pink-haired girl shot past him and into the air. "If Sasaki is still allowed to test her babies, then I will test mine too!" Using her wire arrows and hover soles, Mei propelled herself into the air, laughing maniacally all the way.

"Hatsume! I never gave her permission!" The man sighed in defeat and laid his head in his hand. "These kids…I swear…" He turned to Aizawa. "We have such a troublesome bunch this year." Midoriya chuckled, feeling amused yet sheepish.

Bakugou followed Ayano's slick and trained movements, smirking to himself. He was thinking about how he wanted to face her during the U.A. Sports Festival when an irritating voice interrupted his thoughts. "How annoying…"

A 1-H classmate turned to Yuudai. "I get that you want to leave, but you have to admit that Sasaki-san is pretty amazing. I wish I had her kind of drive and her brain!" Yuudai clicked his tongue. "I meant that _she's_ annoying." The classmate chuckled. "Don't be salty because she's number one."

"I wouldn't be if she wasn't so stuck-up. She pretends like she isn't interested in any of us, just going at her own pace. She's also always going on about how 'there is always room for improvement.'" At her commonly said phrase, he raised the pitch of his voice to mockingly imitate hers. Bakugou grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

"It's ridiculous how she doesn't care for any of us. That nonchalant and aloof attitude pisses me off." His classmate turned around when he felt a murderous aura coming from behind him. Not only was Bakugou furious but so was Midoriya. He began frantically nudging for Yuudai to stop.

As the two boys were about to go up to him and give him a piece of their minds, a hand was laid on their shoulders. They turned around to see Ayano with her perfect poker face. Midoriya instantly backed down, but Bakugou wasn't about to go without a fight. She tightened her grip on his shoulder, causing him to click his tongue in annoyance.

Hearing the sound and finally noticing the people behind him, Yuudai turned to face Ayano. "If you have some sort of complaint with me, I would prefer it if you said so to my face. Although, I will let you know now that I do not give a damn." She took slow and steady steps toward him, meeting his glare head-on. "I did not come here to make friends. I came here to further my career."

"I do not need to make friends. I prefer to reach my goals with my own power rather than relying on others. In fact, I would prefer it to be that way. I intend to reach the top with my own strength, otherwise there would be no meaning. How others view me is of no concern of mine."

"I would not say that I deliberately bring down others to reach my goals. That would be underhanded. However, I am not necessarily above doing so either." She walked past him and towards the shuttle bus. Looking over her shoulder at Yuudai, Ayano sent him a look that gave him shivers.

" **I will not hesitate to bring you down if you get in my way of reaching the top.** "

Many of the students gulped, even the students of 1-A. She was like a lioness, exerting such dominance and confidence. The ruthlessness in her statements shook them to their core.

The 1-A kids were reminded of how well her and Bakugou seemed to match. Despite how different their personalities were, they each held a ferociousness and charisma to be admired.

Ayano's statements resonated deeply within them, especially Bakugou.

The girl raised her wrist again, showing her watch. "It is now one minute past our departure time." She stated, successfully jolting many of the students out of their shock. Ayano continued towards the bus, never looking back.

Bakugou revealed a villain like grin, not even waiting for permission or instructions before blasting off into the training grounds. There was no time to waste.

He had to reach the top with her.

* * *

After classes ended, Ayano walked towards Class 1-A to walk home with Midoriya. Before even reaching halfway through the hallway, she was blocked by crowds and crowds of people surrounding the entrance. She heard Bakugou's voice among the front of the crowd. "Move aside, cannon fodder." The girl chuckled, not at all surprised by his response.

A boy with unruly purple hair began speaking derisively, going on about how kids not in the hero course could be transferred in based on their results of the Sports Festival. "Scoping out the competition? For a General Studies kid like me, this'll be the perfect chance to knock you off your pedestals. Consider this a declaration of **war**."

"Ha. How ridiculous." Suddenly, the crowd parted ways to see the owner of that voice. "Ah. It appears I said that out loud." The purple-haired boy, Shinso, turned to Ayano with furrowed brows. Seeing that the crowd had parted into a pathway for her, Ayano walked forward. "I do not see the point in all of your nonsense." She stated, referring to the entire crowd.

"Knock them off their pedestals? Declaring war?" She scoffed. "If you wished to do that, you should have just waited and done so at the actual Sports Festival. Actions speak far more than words. In 'declaring war,' you have successfully eliminated your element of surprise. Logically speaking, not saying anything at all would have been better than what you are doing now. Therefore, this entire thing is ridiculous."

" _ **She's making it worse!"**_ The majority of 1-A thought.

Smirking, Bakugou pushed past Ayano and the rest of the crowd. Kirishima shouted after him. "Wait, you jerk! What're you doing to us!? Thanks to you, we've got a whole mob of haters now!" "I don't give a crap." "WHAAA—!?"

"I'm heading for the top. Why should I care?" Ayano's eyes widened a bit at the very familiar statement. It was much rougher, but it was essentially what she had said to Yuudai earlier.

The two of them had definitely changed from when they were young children, but they were both ultimately the same. The drive for success was still there and even stronger.

Ayano stared at Bakugou's retreating back, smiling to herself.

She had to reach the top with him.


	22. Chapter 22

" **Following Class A and B is Classes C, D, and E of General Studies! And here come the Support Course Classes F, G, and H! And the Business Courses!** "

Yuudai clicked his tongue. "What are we? Just some accessories to make the hero kids look better?" Even with her thorough dislike of the boy, Ayano had to agree with him. Present Mic's basically off-handed introduction of all the other classes certainly made them feel that way. Many of the other students from the Support Course and General Studies held the same kind of resentment.

Even so, this just helped to spur Ayano on. She would simply have to rise to the top and be so much better than the rest that the audience would be forced to look at her.

As all the first-years lined up for the athlete's oath, Midnight announced that Bakugou would be the student representative. Distracted with her inventions before, Ayano was now interested in the festival's proceedings. She gave Bakugou her undivided attention.

"I pledge…That I'll be number one."

The boy was met with a flurry of screams and protests. Among those objections was a twinkling of laughter. Ayano was laughing behind her hand.

It was funny. He had changed, yet he hadn't. His drive to be number one was obviously still there and he didn't care about dragging down others. However, he wasn't saying this out of arrogance. Well…perhaps not _completely_ out of arrogance. He was doing this on purpose. He was pushing himself, forcing himself into a situation in which he absolutely had to be number one.

If he was making enemies of everyone here, then everyone would give their all when they faced against him. It would be an indisputable victory if he wins in that situation.

Or rather, _when_ he wins.

Ayano had absolute confidence in him.

As Bakugou descended the stairs of the stage, he met Ayano's gaze. Her amused look soon turned to one of challenge as she smirked. They seemed to have a telepathic conversation through their eyes.

" _You better make good on that pledge." "Watch me."_

Midnight revealed the first event to be an obstacle course race. As everyone prepared themselves in front of the gate, Ayano was left to her thoughts. She opted for the back, not caring to push herself to the front like many other eager students.

" _Given the number of students here and how the U.A. Sports Festival is always held, there should be at least one other event before the battle royale type tournament is held. There are approximately 220 students in our class."_ The girl looked around at the stands, seeing the Business and Management Course students selling various things and taking notes of certain students, referring to them as possible 'good stock.'

" _Without them, there should be around 160 students. The number of contestants will be thinned out twice before the battle royale. In that case, roughly 40 students should pass this round. The next event will most likely be held immediately after this. I should save my energy for that and aim for the low thirties."_

She glanced at Bakugou who was raring to go. She looked away, almost as if in shame. Her thought process basically went against everything she had said before to Yuudai and to Shinsou. However, it was a necessary sacrifice for her to reach the top in the end.

She was in excellent physical condition, but she was definitely not on par with those of the Hero Course who received regular training. Not only that, but she was at an immediate disadvantage without a quirk.

Rather than waste effort on reaching the top in this event, she rationalized staying towards the back to conserve energy and observe future opponents.

Her reasoning was completely logical, but it left her with a bitter feeling.

As the race began, many students tried jamming themselves through the first barrier: the narrow gate. Ayano strapped on her bionic arm cover, listening to the gears whirring inside. Taking aim at the ceiling of the exit, she launched the grappling hook, piercing into the concrete. She pulled herself over the heads of the others, narrowly missing a sheet of ice spreading on the ground.

" _Even though I think that, it would be beneficial to stay further in the front for the beginning. The people in the lead now will most likely be the ones advancing."_ Avoiding the rest of the ice outside of the exit tunnel, she was met with the robots from the entrance exam.

"Fu Fu Fu! So these babies have shown themselves again!" Ayano looked over her shoulder to see an overly excited pink haired girl. The girl looked at her with an expectant gaze.

Answering her while still running, Ayano smiled. "As much as I would enjoy reprogramming them with you again, Mei, this _is_ a race. I do not believe we are at liberty to do that again." Her classmate pouted, but relented.

"Then, I will just have to show my babies more!" Mei shouted as she used her wire arrows to latch onto the giant robot and propel herself over it. Ayano quickly followed suit, once again using her grappling hook along with her air soles. They were similar to Mei's hover soles, but rather than the more clunky design of Mei's product, hers were much more compact.

With the more conservative design, they could not produce enough continuous air pressure to make her body hover like Mei's. However, they did produce enough force to propel herself high into the air in one motion.

The two girls, decked out in their own designed support items, matched each other's pace – spurring each other on. They soon came across what Present Mic liked to call 'The Fall,' a series of thin cliffs and tight ropes connecting them.

"Fu Fu Fu! Time for my support items to shine! Take a look, all you national support companies! At my wire arrows and hover soles!" The deep pit allowed her voice and maniacal laughter to echo.

Ayano chuckled, shaking her head at her classmate. While Mei was joyously occupied with showing the observing support companies her 'babies,' she had neglected to pay attention to her pathing. The girl was choosing a rather long way to pass this obstacle, opting to show off her support items as much and as long as she could.

Ayano took the much shorter route, only going through a couple of cliffs and easily passing Mei. If she was aiming to advance this round and reach the top, there would be plenty more opportunities to show off her equipment.

She reached the mine field, seeing many people in front of her taking careful steps. Looking closely, she saw the discoloring of the dirt from having been dug up to place the mines. Ayano tapped what looked to be like half of a headset on her left temple. Grey scouting lenses appeared over her eyes, relaying screens of information to her.

The lenses scouted the area, detecting and circling every point on the ground which held a mine. With this information, Ayano could easily run past other contestants who had to take more time in examining the ground.

Suddenly, she felt and heard a loud explosion behind her. Her head looked up to see Midoriya whizzing past. Her eyes widened, marveling at how amazing her childhood friend was.

When had he gotten so bold?

Ayano took this as an initiative to pick up her pace.

Another explosion occurred some distance in front of her, soon followed by Present Mic's booming voice.

" **The one who made it back to the stadium first is none other than Midoriya Izuku!** "

Ayano released a breathy laugh, forgetting her previous sentiments and breaking out into a full-on sprint.

Reaching the finish line and returning back to the stadium, Ayano was out of breath. Her eyes shifted about, quickly counting the heads already there. She let out a heavy breath, noting her place in the mid-thirties.

After catching her breath, Ayano noticed a flurry of pink in her peripheral vision. She turned to a tuckered out and disappointed Mei. "Sasaki! Next time, I'll be sure to show you how amazing my babies are!"

The brown-haired girl gave her friend a small smile. "I look forward to it." Mei nodded decisively. "I'm going to ask Power Loader to let me into the Development Studio!" Ayano blinked. "Right now? You do not intend to stay for or partake in the rest of the festival?"

Mei shook her head, pulling out some of her inventions. "Clearly, my babies need some more work! Good luck, Sasaki!" With that, she dashed off, Ayano's eyes following her with a smile.

Turning back around to see the rest of those advancing to the next event, she was met with the sight of Midoriya being congratulated by Uraraka and Iida. From afar, she saw Bakugou against the wall and another boy with dual-colored hair glaring at Midoriya.

She could vaguely hear Bakugou's mumbles of frustration, tinged with pain. She noticed him clutching at his left arm, the limb slightly twitching here and there. Walking up to him, Ayano pulled a hot/cold pack from her utility belt and slapped it onto his arm, the pack immediately taking effect.

Their eyes met but Ayano quickly turned hers away, unable to meet his gaze for some reason. Before she could walk away, Bakugou punched the wall with his right fist. His arm barred her from walking forward. The girl still didn't meet his eyes, just staring at his arm in front of her.

"…What the fuck was that?" Ayano didn't answer. She knew exactly what he was asking about.

At her continued silence, Bakugou asked – or rather, demanded again. "What the fuck was that shoddy performance?!" His volume increasing. Ayano bit her lip in frustration. She wasn't exactly happy about her decision either.

"I don't know what fucking game you were playing, but is that what you call 'aiming for the top'?! Getting in the thirties?!" Extremely uncharacteristic of her, the girl kept silent and kept avoiding his gaze.

Bakugou growled, punching the wall again and making a deeper dent. "You could've easily taken the top five!" He almost added 'with me' but held his tongue. Ayano's eyes were covered by the shadow of her fringe, but even he could see the frustration on her face.

He grit his teeth and clutched at her gym uniform's collar with both hands. "What the hell are you doing?!" "You think that decision was easy for me?!" She spat back at him, finally looking at him.

He almost flinched when he saw the ferocity in her eyes, coupled with her powerful grip on his wrists. "You think I wanted to place so low?! If I want to reach the top later, then I have to do this now! Against all of you from the Hero Course, my support items can only take me so far! I do not have the luxury of going all out from the start like you!"

" **I said it before! I will do whatever it takes to reach the top!"**

Bakugou's eyebrows furrowed even further. Deep down, he knew that she was right. He knew that everything she was saying was logical. He just didn't want to accept it.

He didn't want to accept that she couldn't be at the top with him.

Ayano is quirkless. She's part of the Support Course. She had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning, but that had never stopped her in the past. Bakugou had never witnessed her accept that fact so evidently before.

He didn't want to accept it either.

She was perfectly fine without a quirk. She didn't need cowardly tactics like this to be the best. She was above that! She said so herself that she wanted to achieve her goals with her own strength! Why couldn't she understand?!

Suddenly, the blond was pulled back, his grip on her collar loosening. "Bakugou! I don't know what happened, but calm down!" Kirishima locked his arms underneath Bakugou's. He held slight fear in his eyes, hoping that this conflict wouldn't become like the one that occurred after their first hero training. Midoriya had also appeared behind Ayano, laying a hand on her shoulder to help calm her down.

Neither of the two stopped their glaring, sparks nearly visible between them. The two of them were slightly panting from their shouting. Realizing that Ayano would not relent, Bakugou pushed Kirishima away. "Piss off, weird-hair." The blond walked off, slouching and shoving his hands into his pockets.

Ayano stared at him for a few moments more before turning to walk in the other direction. "A-Aya-chan…?" Midoriya called out to her, but she didn't stop. He quickly followed after her.

Bakugou turned his head just enough to see her walking away in the side of his eye. He clicked his tongue, gripping his arm – the one with the hot/cold pack.


	23. Chapter 23

"Now, on to the second event!" Midnight announced a cavalry battle as the second event. Ayano was only half paying attention to the rules, having been much more interested in examining potential allies or opponents. Better yet, she was examining future clients.

Assuming the regular trend of U.A. Sports Festivals, the people who make it through to this round and further tend to become some of the best pro heroes. She wasn't analyzing them just to see who would be best to partner up with or to prepare herself for the next round. She was thinking years in advance.

The girl was suddenly jolted out of her calculations with Midnight's booming voice. "Our first-place participant is worth _**ten million points**_!" Ayano swiveled her head in Midoriya's direction, seeing his wide eyes and tightly gripped hands. Nervous sweat droplets were beginning to form on his temples.

It was as if he were shouldering an incredibly heavy weight.

Ayano looked up at the stands and where the teachers were sitting. She looked at All Might in his skinny form, wearing a suit that seemed all too big for him.

" _The pressure one bears while standing at the top…"_ She looked to her childhood friend. _"This is only the beginning…"_

They all had fifteen minutes to make their teams. Ayano stood back, neither making a team nor looking for one. Midoriya, however, was frantically searching for her within the crowd. Having just been rejected and challenged by Iida, he was feeling even more on edge.

He found his friend standing quietly towards the back, her eyes darting to and fro. They held no uneasiness though. They weren't nervous, like somebody who was desperately trying to find teammates. They were eyes of calculation, searching and researching.

"Aya-chan!" He called out to her, causing her to look at him and Uraraka. "Let's team up!" It sounded as if it would be a demand or a request, but it held no authority to it as he was unsure of his friend's intentions.

The brown-haired girl examined her friend and the girl next to him, recognizing her to be the one with the gravity defying quirk. She briefly glanced to her left, towards a certain ash blond. Midoriya did not miss this action, but Ayano had agreed before he could say anything.

Still uncertain of her motives, he questioned her. "…Aya-chan…Did you maybe…want to team with Kacchan?" Her face didn't change. "I had considered the option, yes." At her short response, Midoriya gave her a look that prompted her to continue.

"I believe it to be more beneficial to ally with you." The boy was certainly flattered and happy that his friend would think so, but he had a feeling that it wasn't exactly because she thought he would come out on top in a fight.

"With your ten million points, all eyes will primarily be focused on you and therefore, on your teammates. There are countless support companies watching as we speak. Not to mention the pro heroes who have connections with those support companies." Midoriya chuckled, expecting no less from her.

"Our peers will also be watching." She looked over her shoulder at Bakugou. Their eyes met but Bakugou quickly turned away with a scowl and a click of his tongue. "Many of whom will be aiming for your ten million. In preparation for the battle royale tournament, being in your team allows me to analyze the most quirks and fighting styles since nearly everyone will be making an attempt for your points." Midoriya looked down at his feet.

He knew that Ayano was right. She was always logical. That didn't stop him from feeling a pang of disappointment though. Did she see Bakugou as a bigger threat than him? "Do not misunderstand." He quickly looked back up at her.

"I intend to challenge you as well. I may see you as a friend, but I will stop at nothing to reach the top. I am allying with you now because that is the best possible option for me." Ayano began digging into her bag of support items. "Knowing how you are, I assume you intend to run away and hold onto the ten million for the whole fifteen minutes." She continued at his small nod, pulling out various gadgets.

"In other words, we will be focusing on only defense. Without having to focus on offense as well, it will be significantly easier to analyze everyone's quirks during the cavalry battle." Ayano looked into Midoriya's eyes and smirked. "Besides, did you really think that I would team up with you if I did not believe you could hold onto the ten million, much less make it through this round?"

She didn't show it, but Ayano was ashamed. She had already felt disappointed about her actions earlier, but seeing Midoriya's determination to be number one was a slap in the face. For someone who had such strong convictions as her, she sure wasn't showing it. Bakugou's words were entirely justified. She needed to follow what she preached.

"I could learn a thing or two from you both…" She mumbled, Midoriya not hearing her.

The boy beamed at her, nearly spilling tears. "Aya-chan…!" "Yes, yes. There is no time for tears, we still need to find another person. I highly doubt Uraraka-san and I would be suitable as your front horse." He quickly nodded, already having somebody in mind. As they left, Ayano could feel a pair of fierce eyes on her back but she never turned around.

* * *

After recruiting Tokoyami, the team discussed their game plan. "Our plan is basically to run away and hold onto the ten million! We can use Tokoyami-kun's Dark Shadow for defense and to cover our blind spots. Uraraka-san can use her Zero Gravity to make us lighter so we can run away faster."

Ayano nodded along to his plan. "Then I suppose my role in this would be mobility." She pulled out two pairs of flat, metal disks in the shape of the soles of shoes. "These are called air soles. Apply them to the bottoms of your feet." At her instructions, Uraraka and Tokoyami placed the soles under their shoes, the gadget latching onto the bottoms.

"In the very likely case that we will be unable to escape on the ground, we can use my air soles. They will propel us high enough to escape. Activate them by clicking your heels together." She demonstrated with her own feet, a large gust of air shooting from the soles and causing her to fly into the sky. As she came back down, another gust was shot out, slowing her fall.

"Their internal sensors will recognize when our point of impact will be, providing enough air pressure to counteract and cushion our fall. They can also be activated by stomping your heels to the ground." Ayano lifted one heel and quickly brought it back down. She flew up in the air again with the use of only one sole. "Even if we are not exactly in sync, I can program them to match each other so that it will not become an issue."

"Amazing, Aya-chan! With Uraraka's quirk, we can make ourselves super light and be even more mobile." The others nodded.

"I also have all-purpose capsules, similar to the ones I used in the entrance exam." Ayano unhooked some small containers from her utility belt. Opening them, she revealed white, red, yellow, and green pills. "Smoke bombs, small explosives, acid pills, and highly adhesive slime. Simply throw them to the ground and they will activate. Use them however you see fit." She gave Midoriya a container with half of the pills, keeping the other half to herself.

"Obviously, they will do very little in impeding our opponents, but they will provide us with a good enough distraction and sufficient time to run away." Midoriya nodded, confidence slowly flowing through him.

They prepared themselves, lifting Midoriya with Tokoyami in front, Uraraka to his left, and Ayano to his right. Ayano tapped the partial headset on her left temple, the grey scouting lenses appearing over her eyes. She had her utility belt fastened tightly to her waist and her bionic arm cover latched onto her right arm.

" **Here we go! The countdown to this brutal battle royale!** "

" **Three! Two! One!** "

" **START!** "

Immediately, two teams approached them. Behind her scouting lenses, Ayano quickly recognized one boy from the obstacle race. His teeth sat on the outside of his skin, giving him a skull-like appearance. "Click your heels!" She quickly ordered while throwing out some green pills. They exploded into sections of slime on the ground, some teams getting their feet caught up in the goo.

Doing as told, they shot into the sky and avoided the sinking earth beneath them. They easily landed, the air soles cushioning their fall. Although they managed to get away, there was no time to rest.

In their effort to run away, Uraraka's foot got stuck on the product of Mineta's quirk. Ayano looked at the purple ball, her scouting lenses quickly analyzing what they could. "Tokoyami-san, click your heels with me!"

Midoriya gave her a panicked look. "Aya-chan! The soles will break!" "We have bigger things to worry about!" They shot into the air again. Uraraka's left air sole snapped off, causing Ayano to frown. There was always room for improvement.

"Getting pretty full of yourself, huh, you bastard!" "Tokoyami!" Dark Shadow quickly blocked Bakugou's attack, causing the blond to still in the air. Taking this chance, Ayano lifted her right arm and took aim.

Massive air pressure was shot towards Bakugou from the palm of her hand, hitting him square in the chest. The attack easily unbalanced him. "Sero! You missed!" "It's not me, it was the support girl!" His team members still managed to catch him, but Bakugou didn't miss Ayano's gaze.

As he was falling backwards toward his team, Ayano's eyes never left his. Her scouting lenses had retreated back to the small headset, giving him unimpeded vision of her. Her face was largely impassive as always, but her eyes were ferocious, their silent message entirely clear.

" _ **Don't get in my way.**_ "

It was a challenge and a warning.

As she turned to face forward again, the scouting lenses reappeared over her eyes. Bakugou was stunned momentarily before he revealed a predatory smirk, fully bearing his teeth. His appearance held the essence of savagery like usual, but there was something else.

It was excitement.

"We're taking that ten million!"

* * *

Team Midoriya was successful in running away so far, but were soon met face to face with Team Todoroki. They were surrounded by walls of ice, forming a makeshift arena. "Aya-chan! Can't we just fly over?"

She shook her head. "The electricity from Kaminari-san's attack has short-circuited the programming in the air soles. Unless we can all click our heels and activate them at the same exact time, we will be slightly off balance. Of course, they do not know that but for someone of Todoroki-san's caliber, I am certain that he could easily find that weakness. He seems rather intent on making an enemy out of you. I would rather not take the risk, as it would be incredibly easy to take us down midair."

Uraraka frowned. "What about the acid pills?" She asked hopefully. "We could certainly use them to melt the ice, but they are rather small. Even if we used a large amount all at once, it would be futile against the speed at which Todoroki-san produces his ice. We would just be trapped again within moments."

All of them grimaced. It seemed that there would be no way out of this situation. The only option would be to keep running within the small space. "Izuku. You noticed, haven't you? Our opening." The boy nodded. "He's not using his flames. As long as they don't know about Tokoyami-kun's weakness, we can keep avoiding them by staying on his left side."

They had managed to keep away from Team Todoroki for five minutes, leaving barely a minute left of the cavalry battle.

"Grab it, Todoroki! Recipro Burst!" The team flew past them, too fast for their eyes to follow and much too fast for them to even act. If it weren't for the scouting lenses giving her screens of information and a play by play of what just occurred, Ayano would've expressed shock as well.

"Charge them! We have to take back the points!" Ayano nearly shuddered from the air around her, and it wasn't because of the coldness from Todoroki's ice. She looked up at Midoriya pulling his arm back, preparing for a punch.

She was not the only one who felt the ominous aura. Midoriya's intent even caused Todoroki's flames to emerge. It got swept away by Midoriya's strength, giving them a chance to take a headband but it was the wrong one.

There were only seconds left on the clock, Ayano's mind scrambled for options and her eyes darted around for an opening. " _He's still unnerved by that last attack._ " She felt Tokoyami shift around, preparing Dark Shadow, and she realized that he noticed the opening as well. She reached into her utility belt, grasping a handful of red pills.

As they charged forward for the last time, she threw the pills at the ground around Team Todoroki's feet. The small explosions created a short diversion to distract his teammates.

" **TIME'S UP!** "

Midoriya grit his teeth and clenched his fist in defeat. They quickly disassembled from the horse position and Ayano immediately took to fixing up her air soles.

As Present Mic announced the rankings, Midoriya grew more depressed. He began apologizing but was stopped by Uraraka's excited pointing. "Todoroki was clearly shaken by your first attack. I did my best to nab the ten million, but…I came up short."

"Along with Sasaki's explosions serving as another distraction, I managed to get the one on his head when he dropped his guard. Midoriya, that last-ditch effort of yours left Todoroki open."

" **In fourth, team Midoriya! These four teams will proceed to the final event!** "

Midoriya fell to his knees, bursting into tears. The force of his crying turned the salty water into geysers, the pressure causing his knees to dig into the ground and shattering it. Ayano wondered if Midoriya's new quirk could manifest itself in his tear ducts.


	24. Chapter 24

"Calm down, Baka-gou. I agreed to follow you so there is absolutely no need for you to pull me along like this." The boy ignored her, keeping his vice-like grip on her wrist and dragging her through the student entrance tunnel.

"This is highly unnecessary. Not to mention you still have not informed me of your sudden ag—" "Raising me as a hero who could exceed All Might, just to fulfill his own ambitions. As I remember it, mom was always crying…" Todoroki's chilling voice stopped them both. In the large and nearly empty entrance tunnel, his words seemed to echo with their severity.

" 'I can't stand to see that left side of yours' she said, before throwing scalding water in my face." In his shock, Bakugou's grip on Ayano's wrist loosened. "Bakugou!" The girl whispered in warning, but he seemed intent on staying to listen.

Ayano shook her head, realizing it was too late for them to leave anyways. Bakugou didn't seem willing to turn back around and the only other exit would require going past Midoriya and Todoroki.

The half-hot, half-cold boy didn't have much more to say, stating his own ambitions and rebellion of his father. Bakugou listened quietly, tensing up at his grave revelations in addition to seeing some sort of connection between Midoriya and All Might. He grew a bit annoyed though at Midoriya's own declaration of war towards Todoroki.

"That half-and-half keeps on challenging the wrong guy! I'll show him who the real threat is." He rounded on Ayano when she remained silent. "Aren't you going to say anyth—!?" He stopped mid-question as he turned around. Bakugou was met with a completely calm and impassive Ayano.

The odd part was that she had some sort of green gunk over her ears. He recognized it to be the slime from the pills that she used in the cavalry battle.

Noticing his confused stare, Ayano turned to him. She removed the goo cupping her ears. "Oh. Have they finished talking?" The green substance seemed to come off easily, otherwise the blond might have been a bit more disgusted. He was eerily reminded of the sludge incident, momentarily becoming very annoyed at having remembered that event.

"It is impolite to eavesdrop. You may not hold any inclination towards such propriety, but I for one hold myself to a much higher standard." "The hell is that supposed to mean?!" She gave a breath of a laugh. "Surely you are smart enough to figure even that much out."

A couple of veins were beginning to show themselves on his temples, but he quickly reeled in his anger. This wasn't what he brought her here for. "You sure pulled some ballsy shit during the cavalry battle." He stated after calming down. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Bakugou smirked, baring his teeth and knowing full well that she was simply playing dumb. "You and I both know that the next event's gonna be a one-on-one competition." Ayano raised a single eyebrow at him, prompting to continue.

"You better not let anyone beat you, or I'll kill you!" She almost laughed at that. "A challenge then. Did you drag me here to question my sincerity in reaching the top? You sure have an odd way of doing it. I may have wavered during the obstacle course, but I can assure you that will not happen here." The girl turned around, ready to head to the waiting rooms so she could prepare for the next event.

Her arm was yanked back, her body falling back towards him and hitting his chest. Ayano tilted her head back to look up at Bakugou. "I'm serious." He did not glare. He did not frown. He did not hesitate.

He simply looked back at her with eyes full of resolve.

"…I never said you weren't." She pulled her arm away from his hold and slowly turned around to face him. She met his gaze with equal determination. "I will say the same to you. You better not make a fool of yourself after that ridiculous pledge you made."

" **I won't.** "

"Then I will keep my side of the deal." Ayano began walking away from him.

Bakugou headed off in the opposite direction. Neither of them turned around, valiantly marching forward. Each of them holding a small smirk of their own, excitement glimmering in their eyes.

" _ **I will fight my way to the top to reach you.**_ "

* * *

" **Between the sixteen members of the four winning teams, we'll have a formal tournament! A series of one-on-one battles!** "

After some withdrawals and lots being drawn, Ayano analyzed every matchup. She payed particularly close attention to her and Bakugou's name. " _…Opposite brackets._ "

There was a small upwards tilt of her lips. " _It is better that way, meeting at the finals…_ " Her eyes travelled to Todoroki, Midoriya, and Iida. " _I should not get ahead of myself. I have to worry about them first_."

Ayano quietly watched from the stands, surrounded by her classmates of 1-H. The first match was between Midoriya and Shinsou. Needless to say, the girl was most certainly rooting for her childhood friend. Since she would need to go to the waiting rooms soon, she opted to sit on one of the aisle seats towards the back.

She watched closely and intently, even going so far as to use her scouting lens and rapidly taking notes through her projection wristband. Everything was saved electronically. Every match, every person, every quirk was being recorded and saved into their own files. Ayano's eyes twinkled with excitement and anticipation, hundreds of ideas flying through her mind.

What items would enhance quirks. What items would counter quirks. What items would complement quirks.

The only thing she disliked were how quickly the matches were going. It gave her much less opportunities to fully analyze a contestant. All three of the matches were decided in nearly an instant and could barely be considered a 'fight.'

Her match came much too soon. Strapping on her air soles, utility belt, scouting lens, and bionic arm cover, Ayano took a deep breath. She opened her eyes as she stepped forward, facing the crowd.

" **The first round's just about half over! Next up is Iida Tenya of the Hero Course! Versus! Covered head-to-toe in support items, Sasaki Ayano of the Support Course!** "

Unconsciously, her two childhood friends shifted forward in their seats. Both of them were eager to see this fight. Midoriya, in particular, was fidgeting quite a bit. Uraraka noticed and misunderstood his concerns. "It must be hard to choose between two of your friends right, Deku-kun?"

The boy flinched, having been so engrossed in the fight that had yet to start. "Ah! Uh…well…yeah, I am a little torn on that, but I think I'm more concerned…about something else." His eyes shifted nervously, debating on whether he should reveal his thoughts. At Uraraka's supportive gaze, he continued slowly.

"I know that Iida-kun is plenty strong, and I admire him…but…" He bit his lip. "Even though Aya-chan doesn't have a quirk, I can't see her losing at all." Uraraka just stared him, curious as to how strong Ayano was that Midoriya had such confidence in her.

" **START!** "

The two immediately swiveled their heads forward to see the match. Iida wasted no time in activating his quirk, and he sprinted straight at Ayano. She matched his initiative and threw down a handful of pills, releasing a large puff of smoke to surround the arena. Both Ayano and Iida were completely concealed.

As the smoke continued to billow out, nobody could see any sign of movement inside. Taking this momentary stalemate as a chance, Uraraka questioned Midoriya. "Was Aya-chan in sports or something before? Is she a super strong athlete?" The green-haired boy shook his head, smiling as if he had remembered something.

"Aya-chan never cared for sports or other clubs since she thought that they were just a waste of time. She did do a lot of training though!" Uraraka tilted her head in confusion. "Training?"

"She didn't do any sports or clubs, but she always had her own training regimen. She exercised a lot to keep fit, saying that it was so she could test out her support items." He chuckled, remember her reasoning for the tough exercises that she did.

" _I will make support items for heroes. There is no support item, or even machine, in this entire world that has never been tested before being finalized. As such, I must test out my own support items before allowing them to be used by heroes. How could I possibly test them if my body is not of the proper physical conditions? Of course, I could always hire beta testers, but that would be a waste of time and money. Highly inefficient. Beta testers would also be less useful. I know my items the best, their capabilities, their parameters. Only I can give the best feedback."_

Midoriya sighed, concern etched on his face. "I don't want to say that Iida-kun will lose, but…" He trailed off, not really wanting to finish his sentence. "I'm just glad that I'm not fighting her right now." He shivered, knowing full well that Ayano would never hold back for anybody, not even for him.

Their attention was drawn back to the arena when they caught movement within the fog of smoke.

* * *

Ayano calmly stood on the outskirts of the smoke, but still just barely concealed herself. Iida, on the other hand, was running frantically back and forth around the arena in search of her. The girl tracked his movements, her scouting lens projecting his heat signature perfectly. For however long he wanted to run, she would analyze him. She had the advantage in every way.

She could keep analyzing and recording while he would continue to tire himself out.

Of course, she didn't expect Iida to be so simple. He came from a family of renowned heroes after all.

Realizing that Ayano had no intentions of revealing herself any time soon, he charged up his engines to prepare for a strong kick. "Engine boost!" His leg made a hard and wide sweep, clearing the smoke, only to reveal an extremely close Ayano with her arm reeled back.

" **It's a direct hit! What a surprise attack!** "

Iida made a choked, surprised sound while getting punched in the stomach. Rolling backwards, he saw a blurry Ayano holding her right wrist and stretching it around. She stood her ground, calmly analyzing the situation once more.

"Normally, it would be foolish to impair one's own vision against a faster opponent but…" She clenched and unclenched her fist, the gears in the bionic arm cover whirring. "…you do not seem to have enough battle experience to take advantage of that. As a student of the Hero Course, you certainly get much more battle training than I, of the Support Course. However, I have run thousands, if not millions, of simulations both virtually and in my head. Most likely worth more than anything you have experienced thus far."

"Even so, you were wise enough to disperse the smoke. You conserved your energy while giving me minimal time to analyze your quirk and your fighting style." Her words gave Iida confidence, though he was unsure as to why she would reveal so much to him while they were still opponents.

Ayano smirked. "Come at me with everything you have, Iida-san. I would like to see how someone of the esteemed Iida family fights." The boy barely let her finish before bursting forward to kick her. She dodged by no more than a stray hair, her eyes following the path of his leg as if it were moving in slow motion.

They continued in that fashion like a dangerous tango for quite some time. Iida leading with fast, sweeping kicks and Ayano just barely dodging with her air soles.

* * *

" **It looked like Sasaki had the upper hand in the beginning, but Iida looks like he has her on the run?!** "

"Ehhh! I was a little scared at the start, but she looks like she's having a tough time keeping up with Iida! With his speed, I think he's got this one in the bag!" Kaminari exclaimed. "Shut up, dunce-face." Bakugou commanded, disheartening the boy. "She's just toying with him…" He grumbled, narrowing his eyes. The rest of the class looked at him curiously.

"I didn't think Aya-chan was that kind of person…" Uraraka remarked. "Ah, I think Kacchan means something different when he says she's 'toying with him.'" Midoriya's face scrunched with unease.

"To be perfectly honest, I think Aya-chan could've won this a long time ago. When she landed that first punch after Iida-kun blew away the smoke." Many of his classmates widened their eyes. "Eh? Then, why didn't she?"

The unease on his face grew. "Remember when I said that I'm just glad I'm not fighting her yet?" Uraraka nodded, eager to hear his explanation. "It's not just because she's my friend or just because she's strong. Aya-chan…she thinks two, three…maybe even four or five steps ahead at all times. For as long as I've known her, I've never seen her get slumped on a problem. She always has a back-up plan, two back-up plans, a fail-safe, a contingency plan, anything!"

"Her mind works faster than anybody I know when it comes to strategizing. If you give her enough time, she could probably figure out what you'll do before you even know that you're going to do it! With her support items, it's even easier for her and that's just downright scary."

Uraraka tensed, remembering Ayano's straightforward words. _"With your ten million points, all eyes will primarily be focused on you and therefore, on your teammates. There are countless support companies watching as we speak. Not to mention the pro heroes who have connections with those support companies."_

The gravity girl gulped. From what little interactions she had with the support girl, she could tell that her brains were no joke. It seemed that Ayano wasn't only concerned about winning. She had far more plans than the average person.

Midoriya continued. "If I know Aya-chan, she definitely doesn't want to end the match so soon. Like before, she probably wants the most time possible to show the support companies her skills. Not only that, but I think she's testing Iida-kun. I'm sure she's done her research and knows that he's part of an impressive hero lineage. If anything, Aya-chan sees him more as a future client than an opponent!"

If what he said was true, then the match made perfect sense. Ayano wasn't dodging by the skin of her teeth because she couldn't keep up with Iida's speed. She was dodging like that on purpose! It was so she could see his quirk up close and personal.

Bakugou clicked his tongue. "She should just blow that stuck-up elitist to bits already." He mumbled.

* * *

Iida was becoming anxious. None of his kicks were hitting her. He thought that she would tire and slow down from fatigue, but he soon learned that was not the case. Ayano's stamina was nearly unaffected. She was merely taking the last possible second to dodge.

If this kept up, his engines wouldn't last.

Ayano knew that to be the case as well. " _It's about time that he uses it…_ "

Clenching his teeth and strengthening his resolve, Iida revved up his engines. "Torque-over, Recipro Burst!" Using the same ultimate move from the cavalry battle, he sped across the arena towards Ayano.

The girl smiled deviously, neither flinching nor moving. "Iida-san, you are indeed fast…" He stopped abruptly and his upper body lunged forward, as if he were in a car that had hit the brakes. "…but entirely too predictable." He felt wires wrap around his entire body, but they seemed invisible to the human eye.

" **UUUOOOHHH?! Iida's super move was stopped in an instant! What happened?** "

" **As soon as he got hit that first time, he fell into her trap.** " Aizawa piped in. " **She must have her own reasons for extending the fight this long, but she wasn't just dodging his kicks for no reason. It's harder to see up close, but from the stands and up here, you can make out the thin wires she placed all around the arena.** "

Iida gasped, frantically looking around. He looked towards the edge of the arena. He couldn't see the wires itself but at certain angles, the sunlight reflected off them briefly. From up close and with his speedy movements, he would never have enough time to notice such fine detail. From a higher vantage point like where Aizawa and Present Mic were, one could easily see the reflections.

" **Every time she dodged, she placed down another wire. She moved in a way that would direct Iida away from the wires with his next kick. It was a simple matter of waiting for him to cross them.** "

" **Nice analysis, Eraserhead! This is just like a spider waiting for its prey to get caught! How will Iida get out of this one?!** "

Iida's mind raced. He had used his ultimate move, but he was stopped midway. His engines hadn't stalled completely yet and he may have been bound, but he could still move his legs slightly. Maybe enough to use his quirk to sweep himself out of the wires!

His hopes were soon crushed when Ayano clenched her fist. The wires around him tightened, his body becoming completely rigid and the little movement he had in his legs now gone. Iida grit his teeth, trying to bear the constricting pain.

"In your situation, speed means very little without the element of surprise. It was unfortunate for you that you had to use that move during the cavalry battle. Had you not, I most likely would have had no way to counter it." Ayano walked towards Iida with no caution.

"How…did you know…I wouldn't use it…in the beginning?" The boy ground out through the pain. "You are a sensible man, Iida-san. You would not gamble on something with so much significance, so much hanging on the balance. It was obvious that you could only perform this action once. Otherwise, you would have used it much sooner during the cavalry battle. Assuming that to be the case, I was certain you would not start the match with it since it would leave your quirk useless, should you fail to defeat me." Iida cursed, hanging his head in defeat.

" **Iida is immobilized! Sasaki advances to the second round!** "

Ayano unclenched her fist, the wires from the fingers of her arm cover loosening their hold on Iida. He breathed a sigh of relief as he fell to the ground, no longer having to feel the binding pain. "Iida-san, your quirk is very straightforward and it shows in your fighting. Against someone of higher or even similar speed or skill, you are much too predictable. I would suggest expanding your skill set."

She placed her chin between her thumb and index finger in thought. "With such a simple quirk, it would be hard to improve or enhance it…" Ayano gave a small smile of excitement, her eyes shimmering. "…but not impossible."

She held out a hand towards him. "If you should ever need adjustments, I would surely assist you. I have more than enough information about your quirk after this fight." Iida stared up at the girl in awe. Even though he had lost, he was amazed by her personality.

Victory was not her only ambition.

She had defeated him, yet her mind prioritized other things instead. Things to benefit her career.

Ayano was scary, indeed.

Iida gratefully accepted her outstretched hand, hoisting himself up. He thanked her for the battle as well as for her offer, fully intent on taking her up on it. As they left the arena together, he heard her mumbling ideas to herself about his quirk and costume.

She sounded eerily like Midoriya when he was writing down notes about everyone's quirks. He could see why the two were childhood friends.


	25. Chapter 25

After her fight, Ayano took her aisle seat at the back again. She carefully analyzed each and every fight, although she was eagerly awaiting Bakugou's. Throughout his entire fight, she held a gentle smile.

She not only admired Uraraka's strength, but she was happy to see Bakugou's change. He never underestimated his opponent, not even for a second – something that, in the past, would surely not be the case.

His ambition was real and it was roaring, causing the excitement to course through Ayano. Particularly at his release of a large explosion, repelling all of the debris that Uraraka had used against him.

Ayano gave a small, breathy laugh. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin, the shivers running down her body. Her lips tilted up and her grin looked eerily similar to Bakugou's when he accepted a challenge and was ready to get serious. " _That bastard…to hide something like this from me!_ "

She had her suspicions about his capabilities, but she had yet to actually see his maximum output. Ayano was shaking, not with fear but with awe and exhilaration. She made a mental note to make sure to give the blond a beating for never mentioning this explosive power to her.

The fight between Midoriya and Todoroki did little to quell her excitement. While on that high, Ayano quickly won against her next opponent, Shiozaki. Although she had wanted to observe the 1-B student, Ayano deduced that it would be too risky. Binding types like her were particularly tricky to deal with and those fights tended to end quickly, as seen from the match between Shiozaki and Kaminari.

Soon enough, the second round of matches was over and the tournament reached the final four with Todoroki, Ayano, Tokoyami, and Bakugou.

* * *

Ayano faced Todoroki with her normally impassive face but for some reason, he felt as though she were glaring at him.

" **It's time for the first match of the third round! Sasaki Ayano versus Todoroki Shoto! I think a lot of us were expecting it to be a Class 1-A show, but Sasaki has exceeded our expectations! The last one standing for not only the Support Course but for all the girls out there! Girl power!** "

"Todoroki Shoto…" Ayano addressed him with an even voice but again, he felt uneasy about her. "I've run thousands of simulations already, and in almost every one of them, I lose. There is less than a one percent chance where I advance to the next round. In fact, it is far less than one percent."

"You are superior in nearly every single way. Your quirk, your physique, your fighting experience, and so on. It would be nothing short of a miracle if I were to win here, but I do not believe in miracles." Todoroki furrowed his brows, unsure of where she was going with this.

Midnight looked at her with confusion as well. "Sasaki, am I to take this as a forfeiture?" The girl responded without looking at Midnight. "Do not misunderstand. Although I am almost certain of my loss, that does not mean I will not benefit from this fight. Support companies are still watching, and I intend to give them a show. Besides…"

She turned her head to the stands, glancing up at the section designated for Class 1-A. Bakugou and Midoriya flinched under her gaze, neither one completely sure of who she was looking at. "If I were to forfeit, it would be an immense amount of disrespect to someone important to me."

The girl turned her head back to face Todoroki and it was now his turn to flinch, anxiety fluttering within him. "I also have some business with you." She stated.

" **START!** "

Ayano wasted no time in lunging at her opponent, catching him slightly by surprise. Todoroki quickly created a wall of ice, but Ayano was already within a foot of him. She used her air soles to push her off the ground, easily swinging around the pillar of ice to kick him in the left side.

His body was pushed to the side from the force but Ayano followed him with her air soles, throwing out more punches and kicks. She gave him very little time to react, not even waiting for his body to hit the ground before attacking again.

" **Uuoohh! It's a full-frontal attack by Sasaki! But Todoroki manages to break through!** "

The boy released chunks of ice from below him, causing Ayano to back off in order to dodge the frost at her feet. He took this moment of reprieve to cough and catch his breath, but Ayano would have none of it.

Raising her arm and taking aim, she shot a blast of air at the pillars of ice to shatter them. The force of the gust pushed Todoroki back. Although it wasn't to the same scale as Midoriya's finger flicks, he still had to form a block of ice behind him to make sure that he wouldn't be blown out of the arena.

Without hesitation, Ayano's air soles pushed her off the ground to lunge at him. Not having enough time to dodge, Todoroki raised his arms and crossed them in front of his face to block her punch. Unfortunately, she simply switched to her left arm and delivered a hard punch to his now unguarded mid-section.

The upper half of the boy's body sprung forward as he coughed up remnants from his stomach. Once again using this chance, Ayano cupped her hands together on the back of his head, swinging his head down onto her knee.

"…" Even the chatty Present Mic had no words for what he was seeing. The crowd was much quieter as well, many onlookers shocked at the girl's actions. "W-what…what is this…ruthlessness? It's almost cruel!"

Todoroki had managed to drive her back with rows of ice. For some reason, she relented and stood away from him, watching him catch his breath. He wiped at his face, smearing blood on it and around his hand from his bloody nose. He was already panting, but Ayano was in picture-perfect condition.

She held a completely dispassionate look, but Todoroki could have sworn he saw a face of contempt directed towards him.

"Much of the observers are surprised. I assume many of them only see this match as a fight between high schoolers and that many of them did not expect this kind of behavior from me, or the current one-sidedness of the fight." She raised her right arm, the gears in her bionic arm cover whirring.

"I, however, do not see this as 'just a fight between high schoolers.' I intend to teach you a lesson." Her words were followed by a massive gust of air, forcing Todoroki to make another block of ice behind him in order to hold him in place.

The winds caused his eyes to tear up, but he could still make out a blurry hook shooting towards him. He just barely dodged to the side, causing the grappling hook to pierce the block of ice instead of his ribcage.

With the hook still lodged in the ice, Ayano retracted the rope, quickly pulling herself towards it and towards him. Todoroki stomped his foot, layers of ice forming from it and darting at Ayano. Having predicted this move, she easily dodged by launching herself up with her air soles.

In mid-air, Ayano swiveled over and behind him. She kicked at his left side again, hearing a slight crunch. Todoroki rolled across the ground, clutching at his left ribs. Hearing her monotone voice, he looked up. "Ruthless? Maybe. Cruel? Perhaps." She took slow, calculated steps toward him.

"I highly doubt a villain would care about such pretenses though." Her fist slammed into the concrete, Todoroki having rolled away just in time to dodge. A thick dent was left in his place. Ayano lifted her fist and unclenched it, steam flowing out from the bionic arm cover.

"Would a villain hesitate in attacking? Would a villain give you time to react? Give you time to rest?" She asked rhetorically, throwing out more attacks as she went.

"If I were a villain, my actions would not just be seen as ruthless or cruel. **It would be expected**." Todoroki's eyes widened, realizing Ayano's intentions. She had been attacking and aiming only for his left side, the side he vowed not to use. It was an onslaught of concussive blows.

She was trying to force him into a corner just like Midoriya had. Trying to force him to use his flames. Was this the 'lesson' she was trying to teach him?

"What are you trying to do? You and Midoriya are childhood friends, did he put you up to this?" The girl raised a single eyebrow at him. "Izuku? He doesn't have anything to do with this, although your fight with him did give me many insights about you." Todoroki's confusion etched itself further onto his face.

"Then, is it for your 'analysis?' Are you playing around with me like you did for Iida?" She scoffed. "I will admit that I took my time this entire Sports Festival for my own reasons, but that does not apply with you."

Ayano reached into one of the pouches on her utility belt, pulling out a few red pills. "Am I deliberately playing the role of a villain? Yes, I am. Am I trying to force you into using your left side? That depends." She threw the pills at him, explosions being released upon impact with the ice he used to block them.

However, they served as a good enough distraction for Ayano to position herself behind Todoroki. "As I told Iida-san before, it is foolish to obstruct one's own field of vision when against a faster opponent." The dual-haired boy swiveled to block her kick, but he reacted too late and was once again hit on his left side.

"To be perfectly honest, whether or not you use your left side in this battle matters little to me. Recall that I mentioned only having less than a one percent chance of winning. The main condition for that was you never using your flames." Todoroki frowned in annoyance. "Then why are you doing all this?"

As they spoke, they exchanged blows. "A person of your caliber has surely noticed that I keep aiming for your left side. Any smart villain would do the same and take advantage of it. None of my attacks would land if you would just use your flames, yet you do not. It is your weakness, and a rather trivial one at that." At that last remark, Todoroki lashed out at her, successfully landing a solid blow for the first time.

"What would you know about me?!" Ayano stepped back and they stared each other down. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. "I refuse to use my left side in battle! I'll be the one to decide if it's trivial or not."

The girl regarded him with disinterest. "I realize that my comment may be offensive, but I will not rescind it." Her eyes darted to the stands, at Endeavor watching the fight with a careful eye. "I come from a rather loving household, so I agree – I could never even hope to imagine what you have experienced. However, it is clear to see that your refusal to use your flames stems from hatred of your father."

"I am not saying that your past is trivial. I am saying that your reactions and your decisions due to your past are trivial." Todoroki only grew more annoyed, lashing out at her with more ice.

"The more you use your ice and the more you refuse to use your flames, the slower you get…" Her fist hit its mark on his left again. "…and the more advantageous it will be for me."

Todoroki nearly growled at her. "I will reach the top without using it. That way, I will have denied him **everything**." "Is that why you want to become a hero? Out of spite?" He flinched at her cold remarks.

He studied her. Although he had only landed one solid attack onto her, he did manage to scrape her many times. Her body was littered with scratches and small bruises. Her hair was in slight disarray from all the moving. Her breaths grew shorter as the match dragged on.

She was different in almost every way, but Todoroki still saw flashes of his match against Midoriya with her words. Why did he want to become a hero? Was it really out of spite? Midoriya showed him a glimpse of his desires. He wanted to become a hero for himself, not his father. However, something like that was easier said than done. It's not like he could just forget everything his father had ever done. There was no way he could just use his left side again like nothing happened.

"If that is really why you want to become a hero…" Ayano shifted her stance, preparing herself.

" **I will end you here.** "

Chills went down Todoroki's spine, and it wasn't because of the overuse of his ice.

Her air soles propelled her toward him, the two exchanging more blows. Even though Todoroki was slowing down because of the frost build-up, Ayano was also slowing down from fatigue. As she said before, the boy holds a superior physique and battle sense.

He gained the advantage and managed to pierce her with a large shard of ice. Ayano yelped in pain, clutching at the wound on her stomach. Sweat was dripping down her chin, her chest heaving with every pant.

The blood pooled around her hand, dripping to the concrete and showing no signs of stopping. There was no way she could continue like this, leaving her with only one choice.

Ayano took out two pills, and yellow and a green one. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. She crushed the yellow pill against her side. The acid burning her wound, successfully cauterizing it to stop the bleeding.

Todoroki and much of the audience looked on in horror as Ayano screamed from the pain. She buckled over and fell to her knees, her screams echoing around the stadium.

Her screams were soon replaced with heavy breaths. She lifted a shaky hand to her side and crushed the green pill over her now cauterized wound. The green slime from within the capsule sealed itself over her skin, adding another precautionary measure to ensure that the injury would not open.

Looking at her tattered gym uniform and ragged appearance, Todoroki was again reminded of his match against Midoriya. As Ayano lifted her head to glare at him, he saw a vision of a beat up Midoriya next to her. They both held such determination in their eyes, going against him with everything they had.

"…Why…Why!? Why are you doing this?!" He yelled at her, demanding an answer. "I can understand Midoriya…but why you?! Why are you going so far!?" He could see why Midoriya said what he did during their match. Todoroki only using half of his strength would piss off anyone who was aiming to become the number one hero as well. Ayano, however, was someone of the Support Course. Why would she feel the same way? Why was she opposing him like this? Why was she playing the villain?

The girl gave a bitter laugh as she slowly got back to her feet. "I have no intention of becoming a hero. I never did." "Then, why?!" He asked again.

"My reasons for joining the Support Course…they are no different from the reasons of people who join the Hero Course." She clenched her fist, the gears in her bionic arm cover working. "Machines…equipment…technology. We create these things in order to make living in society easier, to make people's lives easier, to _**help**_ people. Isn't helping people what heroes do too?"

Todoroki flinched at the murderous aura he felt radiating off of Ayano. "You…someone like you who wants to become a hero out of spite, to rebel against your father…I could never accept a reason like that! At this rate, even Bakugou will become a far better hero than you!" A gust of air shot out of her palm, causing Todoroki to make a pillar of ice behind him again.

Her air soles pushed her forward and she punched him in the stomach so hard it shattered the ice that supported him. He flew backwards, Ayano rolling on the ground with him as she was unable to keep her balance with how beat up she was.

The two struggled to lift themselves up, their arms shaking as they pushed off the ground. "A villain is not going to wait for you. A villain is not going to fight fairly, like in a tournament. A villain is not going to care about your family issues or your background."

"Like I said, any smart villain would notice in a heartbeat that you are only using half of your strength. You think they won't take advantage of that? You think they won't use that against you?" She clenched her teeth from the pain. Talking and shouting had irritated her wound.

"How can you ever become a hero…how can you ever help anybody… _ **save**_ anybody with only half of your strength? Your left side…your flames…they could mean the difference between somebody's life and death!"

"Are you going to let your father dictate what kind of hero you will become!? You are a disgrace! You are a disgrace to true heroes! _**You are a disgrace to people like me who live to help others, who create support items to help people!"**_

Todoroki's heart dropped.

Ayano was furious. Beyond furious.

She was somebody who only wanted to help others. That was her reason for creating support items. It was her life's purpose. She wanted to create support items for heroes because of the same reason. Heroes save lives. _Support items_ save lives. Someone like Todoroki was the kind of person that she _**least**_ wanted to become a hero, a person that she _**least**_ wanted to use her support items.

Bakugou was not exactly virtuous in his reasons for becoming a hero either and he most certainly wasn't doing it to help people, but at least he gave everything his all.

" _The most amazing hero always wins in the end."_

How could Todoroki win if he never used all of his power? How could he save people if he was always at half of his strength?

A hero like that…Ayano could never accept a hero like that!

Todoroki knew she was right. He knew everything she said was right. Her and Midoriya, both. Yet, it was just so hard for him to accept his left side.

Ayano prepared for what she assumed was her final attack. Her stamina was at her limit. Her legs barely supporting her. She clenched her fist, puffs of steam being released from her bionic arm cover. Sparks of electricity were emanating from the equipment.

She shifted her weight and propelled herself into the air. Coming down at Todoroki, she reared her arm back and opened her mouth in a battle cry. Before impact, she could have sworn she saw a flicker of his flames.

As the two collided, a big explosion was produced. Shards of ice and debris were scattered everywhere. The spectators ducked for cover, hoping to avoid the barrage.

As the smoke cleared, everyone kept their eyes trained on the two figures laying down in the arena. Their muscles twitched, aching to relax but neither opponent relented. Each of them slowly got up, their arms and legs shaking in agony.

The chilled air revealed their labored breathing, each breath producing a cloud of fog. Neither stood up straight, their legs barely bringing them to an upright position in the first place. They wobbled, as if they were trying to keep balance while on a moving train.

Ayano's arm hung limp at her side, adorned with bruises, scratches, and burn marks. The tattered remains of her bionic arm cover clung to the limb.

Todoroki was in no better condition. He stared into her eyes. They looked dark, nearly lifeless, but she was still standing. As she took a shaky step forward, he gulped and prepared for another attack although he wasn't sure if he could take it.

His concerns were unwarranted though, as Ayano fell face first into the concrete.

Midnight jumped into the arena, checking the girl's pulse and for any signs of consciousness.

" **Sasaki is out of commission! Todoroki advances to the finals!** "


	26. Chapter 26

"Deku-kun!?" Uraraka shouted after the boy. He had immediately jumped out of his seat after hearing Midnight's announcement of the winner. Uraraka was already worried after seeing the state that Ayano was in, but the look of utter panic on Midoriya's face had her incredibly uneasy.

The green-haired boy hadn't even heard his classmates' shouts, running as if his life depended on it. He had come across a very disheveled and beat up Ayano before. She cared very little about her own safety when it came to testing out her support items.

Even visiting her in the hospital after the sludge incident could not hold a candle to what he just witnessed. He had never seen Ayano in such a state. He had never seen her fight so audaciously, so riskily.

It shook him to his core.

There was just one thing on his mind and it was to check up on his friend, the distant voices of his classmates just mere background noise.

Bakugou had the same thoughts. In fact, he was the first to move. His movements were stopped, however, by Uraraka's shouts. Her voice directed his attention to the green-haired boy running off to the infirmary.

The blond nearly growled, not only at the damned nerd but at himself. What was he getting so worked up for!? It's not like Ayano needed to be babied! He knew that better than anyone. And why would he need to care about her?

So, why did this anxiety inside of him keep growing?

Unknowingly, he was having an internal debate about whether or not to rush to her side.

"Man, that girl is only in the Support Department!?" "I know, right? First that General Studies boy, and now her! What is U.A. thinking?"

"I heard she's quirkless!" "Well, I guess they can't help it then."

"But she just went toe-to-toe with Endeavor's boy! If only she had a quirk…" "Yeah, it's such a shame!"

Bakugou scowled. This time, it was because of what he was hearing rather than his thoughts. Those idiots would never understand. They were just a bunch of extras.

"You know, I can't say I disagree with what the audience is saying…" Sero commented. "Yeah, seriously! If she could do that to Todoroki with just support items, imagine what she could do with a quirk!" Kirishima exclaimed.

Kaminari snickered. "You guys went up against the same person, but she lasted way longer. Guess she could easily beat you as a hero, Sero!" "Heyyy!"

Mina chimed in. "She's super strong though! Are we sure she doesn't have a quirk?" Tsuyu nodded, placing her finger near her mouth in thought. "I wonder what her quirk would be if she had one, kero."

All of the side conversations stopped when they heard a loud clang of metal. They all turned their heads to look at Bakugou. He was sitting in the front row and had kicked at the metal railings in front of him. The kick was so strong that some parts of the railing were still left vibrating.

What was really jarring though, was the ferocity in his eyes.

He had a scowl on his face like he usually did, but it wasn't like the ones he used for Midoriya or others. It wasn't one of his villain-like outbursts either.

It was seething rage.

His eyes slanted aggressively, surely causing wrinkles in his future. His lips were sloped downward in a deep frown. His jaw tightened from gritting his teeth, a slight sound being produced from the grinding.

Nobody said or did anything for a while. Eventually, Bakugou silently got up and trudged his way to the exit at the back. These idiots would never understand either. Ayano didn't need a quirk.

She never did.

* * *

"AYA-CHAN!" Midoriya burst into the room, only to be met with the blank stares of both Ayano and Recovery Girl.

His childhood friend was sitting up on the bed with her right arm stretched out, Recovery Girl in the middle of bandaging it.

The older woman sighed in annoyance. "Is everyone just making a point to barge into my office without knocking today?! Hmph!" She scolded the boy, small puffs of steam blowing out from her ears.

"S-Sorry!" Midoriya apologized as she continued bandaging Ayano's arm, bowing a couple of times for good measure.

He peeked at his friend's condition. Her tattered gym uniform was now replaced with a fresh one, not a tear or speck of dirt in sight. Except for her right arm, any place he could see skin no longer held any scratches or bruises, having been completely healed.

Recovery Girl cut off the bandages from the rest of the roll, patting Ayano's arm. "There you go, sweetie. All finished!" She thanked the woman, turning her arm over to inspect it. The bandages started at her elbow and stopped a little after her knuckles. She clenched and unclenched her fist, rolling her wrist around to relieve the tension in her joints.

"What is the purpose of your visit?" She finally addressed the boy. "To check up on you, of course! I was worried!" Still not sparing him a glance, she responded in a monotone voice. "Am I so weak that I need to be worried about?"

Midoriya flinched. "I-It's not that! I didn't mean it that way!" "The next match is starting soon, is it not?" Ayano asked, seemingly changing the subject. "I believe you should be worried about not being able to take notes. Also, if there is anything about me you should be worried about, it would be the same thing."

The boy furrowed his brow, wondering what she was getting at. "As you can see, I am perfectly fine with Recovery Girl's guidance. However, I still need to rest here for a little longer. It is possible that I will be unable to observe the next fights." Ayano looked at her childhood friend with her normal impassive expression.

"I would appreciate it if you could go and take notes for the both of us." Midoriya's eyes widened. He should have known better than to come here. Ayano was plenty strong by herself. It would seem harsh to other people but to Midoriya, this was her way of saying not to worry about her.

Once again, he was in awe at her strength. Giving her a bright smile, Midoriya nodded. "I'll be sure to take notes, but I definitely can't make as detailed ones as yours. So, get better quick, Aya-chan!" With that, he dashed off back to the stadium's bleachers.

Ayano returned to inspecting her injured arm, using the other hand to poke and prod at it. "I could have easily healed it completely you know. Of course, that doesn't mean I would do it every time but unlike your reckless friend, you don't make a habit of coming here." Recovery Girl noted, explaining that she would have made a one-time exception.

Ayano nodded, knowing full well of the woman's capabilities. "The sludge incident was different since I could only make periodic visits, but I'm right here now. There isn't much need for this arm to be scarred as well, is there?" As a nurse, Recovery Girl had the impulse to heal her arm, but if the patient didn't want it, there wasn't much she could do. All she could do was ask why.

"It is _because_ I do not make a habit of coming here that I do not want you to heal it completely. As you say, it is not good to rely on your power so much." Recovery Girl raised her eyebrow at that. "I said I would make an exception this time though."

"Yes. However, I have other reasons for leaving it as is. These scars…they will serve as a warning of sorts. A reminder." There was a deep look in Ayano's eyes that Recovery Girl couldn't exactly decipher. Thinking better of interrogating the girl further, she let it be. If Ayano did not want her arm to be fully healed, it was not her place to judge.

"Well, I still healed a lot of your other injuries so your stamina levels should be quite low." The nurse dug into her pocket. "I have some candies for you, or you could use those stamina pills of yours that you gave Midoriya-kun before. Although, you seem fine right now." She raised an eyebrow, having realized something. "Speaking of which, is there any reason why you didn't use them during the match?"

"I have tested them on Izuku before, but they can still be quite unstable when fighting. Those pills give a short burst of energy. Against someone like Todoroki-san, it would only offer a very temporary solution. In fact, if that burst of energy is used up so quickly, it will cause the user to become even more exhausted than before. I gave them to Midoriya that one time because he was not active. It served as more of a boost to his recuperation, and it is still in the progress of being improved. It would have been much too dangerous to use in the middle of the fight." Ayano explained.

Recovery Girl hummed in thought. "If you ever need advice on them, you can ask me. If it gets perfected, something like that would be just the thing for my patients or even other hospitals. It would be a great service to the world if a medication like that is approved by the government."

Ayano smiled at her. "I will be sure to take your offer." The woman smiled back at her, handing her a butterscotch candy anyways. "Alright, now go back and watch the rest of your matches if you're fine." She pushed on her back, prompting her to go out the door.

As soon as Ayano turned the corner, she spoke. "How sweet of you to visit me." Although, nothing in her voice indicated that it was so.

Bakugou was leaning against the wall, the scowl still evident on his face as he looked at the wall opposite him. He was slouching, his hands stuffed into his pockets. At Ayano's voice, he looked at her and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I didn't come here for you. My fight is next. I was just going to the waiting rooms."

As she was about to walk past him, he pushed himself off the wall and walked by her side. Ayano gently smiled.

They both new that the waiting rooms were in the opposite direction. Even if they weren't, there was no reason for him to stop here, nor was there any reason for him to walk at the same slow pace that Ayano was.

It didn't matter though. Ayano didn't need a verbal confirmation from him.

"Besides, you fucked up the entire arena so everyone's waiting for it to be fixed." Ayano smirked. "I will make a note to apologize to Cementoss then."

The two continued walking in silence, slowly making their way back to the stadium. Ayano thought about the many adjustments she could make to her support items, as well as new things she could make for her opponents.

Bakugou kept stealing glances at Ayano's bandaged arm. The bandages stopped a little after her knuckles, leaving the tops of her fingers open for view. On them, he could see slight cuts and small scars. He also noticed the scars on her left arm, the ones left from the sludge incident. He scowled again, growing annoyed for some reason.

"Bakugou…" His scowl disappeared, giving her his full attention. "I…I am sorry for not being able to reach you."

He frowned at her, although he wasn't mad at her at all. "Dumbass…" Was his only response, but Ayano knew it was his way of telling her that it didn't matter to him. It was his way of saying that she would be stupid to worry about something like this.

Ayano smiled again, but she suddenly stumbled. She managed to catch herself. She placed the palm of her hand onto her head, near her temple. The girl had underestimated just how tired she was and overestimated how much stamina she had.

She felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist and her left arm being slid over broad shoulders. Her entire weight shifted, being supported by Bakugou.

"I am fully capable of walking by myself." "Shut up." The girl just sighed and shook her head. They continued walking forward again in silence.

"…You better win it all." She demanded. Bakugou scoffed. "I was going to do that without you telling me to. The best hero always wins." She wanted to laugh at his very familiar words from childhood.

He then frowned. "I'll pay that half-and-half bastard back." He muttered under his breath, but Ayano easily heard him with how close she was.

With her left arm over Bakugou's shoulders, her bandaged right arm was left to dangle at her side. Her hand cupped over a pouch on her utility belt, feeling the stamina pills that could easily restore her stamina and have her walking just fine by herself.

She removed her hand from the pouch, deciding to just lean into Bakugou's warmth further.


	27. Chapter 27

Ayano was currently standing on a podium with Tokoyami, arms crossed, eyes shut, and eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

Annoyance at Bakugou's muffled screams.

Strapped to a block, chained up, and forced to wear a muzzle like a dog. His current actions were far from exemplary and entirely unbecoming of a victor, much less a hero.

Ayano's attention soon turned towards All Might with a medal in his hand. After placing a third-place medal around Tokoyami's neck and congratulating him, he turned to her with another third-place medal.

"Congratulations, Young Sasaki! You fought valiantly and on equal footing as your peers in the hero course! It is most definitely an impressive feat in this world dominated by quirks!"

The girl bowed slightly, allowing him to slip the medal over her head. "Your compliments are much appreciated, although I have to disagree with you." "Eh?" All Might voiced his confusion, his hands stopping in mid-air after he let go of the medal.

"I would have to disagree that this was 'an impressive feat.' Taking time to say that I fought on 'equal footing' as my peers and noting the prevalence of quirks suggests that it was not expected of me to perform so well in this Sports Festival solely because of my lack of a quirk. This implies that people without quirks are inferior to those with, and I wholly disagree with that sentiment. Of course, the use of quirks certainly helps in this aspect but I believe that, more than anything, an individual's own skill and hard work leads to results. It is _not_ due to a mere genetic mutation."

"I assure you that I do not think any less of you for saying such things, and I am certain that you had no such ill intentions or meanings when congratulating me. I just stated my feelings on the matter to ensure that you understand how your words can be interpreted. I would like to reiterate that I do, in fact, appreciate your compliments and congratulations. Thank you."

All Might, Midnight, and Tokoyami all looked at the girl with wide, apprehensive eyes. She showed no indication of acknowledging their uneasiness, as her face remained the same poker face that it usually was.

"…A-ah! O-Of course! That was absolutely not my intention! Having a quirk is one thing, but being able to hone that quirk is up to a person's own inner strength. That inner strength can be found in anybody, quirk or no quirk! You are correct!" All Might quickly retorted, hoping to placate the girl although she was in no need of placating. He still felt bad about his words even though she indicated that he shouldn't feel guilty.

" _She's a strong one for sure._ " The number one hero thought to himself. He continued onto congratulating Todoroki and eventually Bakugou.

" **ALL MIGHT! THIS WIN, IT DOESN'T MEAN SQUAT! DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS! IF I DON'T RECOGNIZE IT, THEN THAT MEDAL'S JUST GARBAGE!** " All Might hesitantly approached Bakugou, the boy's ferocious face making him a bit nervous.

"There aren't many who can continuously be on top. So, accept this! As a wound, even! So you don't forget!" " **I TOLD YOU I DON'T NEED THAT JUNK! THIS WIN AND THAT MEDAL DON'T MEAN ANYTH—** " His voice was abruptly stopped by a hard fist. Ayano had punched him square in the jaw, his head flying to the side and shock evident on his face.

Once again, Ayano had single-handedly silenced the entire stadium. "This win doesn't mean anything? Get over yourself. Do you understand just how much people would do to be in your position? I can see that you would feel that your last fight was not fair, but it was and you won. Did you half-ass things? No, you did not. Did you give it your all? Yes, you did. If anything, the fault lies with your opponent." Bakugou growled at her, fully intent on lashing out when she interrupted him.

"You said it yourself, did you not? 'The best hero always wins.' If you are so unsatisfied with this victory, then that shows just how much you need to improve." The girl grabbed at his gym uniform's collar to pull him forward, their faces inches apart.

"Become so strong that others would be so sure of your victory even if your opponent did not give their all. Become so strong that your opponents will have no choice but to match your fervor if they even want a chance to survive. Become so strong that your victory becomes a given."

They glared at one another for a moment before Bakugou seemingly relented, clicking his tongue in annoyance. Although he was the first to look away, the scowl on of his face was still very much present.

Ayano released her grip on his collar, backing away from him and turning to All Might. Without another word, she gestured towards Bakugou. Her arm was outstretched, palm facing upwards as she swept it through the air along the width of her body and towards the blond as if to say, "Here you go."

She walked back to the third-place podium, standing next to Tokoyami as if nothing happened.

Mentally thanking the girl, All Might proceeded to struggle a bit with Bakugou before finally placing the medal between the boy's teeth. He went on to his closing remarks as everyone cheered.

* * *

In light of the Sports Festival, all U.A. students had the next two days off. Both the Bakugou and the Sasaki families took this opportunity to celebrate together at their children's success in the Sports Festival. The celebration dinner was held at the Bakugou household.

The dinner table was quite lively, although that was mostly due to the two mothers as the fathers watched on in endearment. Ayano silently ate her food, thinking about other things as usual. Meanwhile, Katsuki was grumpily chomping on his food as always.

After the dinner, the kids were left to their own devices. Still having some concerns for Katsuki since she last saw him, she followed him to his room. "Why the fuck are you following me?" He asked, but it didn't really sound like a question nor did it have his normal increased volume.

"I request to have a discussion." The boy seemingly ignored her but he didn't slam the door behind him, allowing Ayano to follow in after him.

She made calculated glances around his room, taking in everything. It hadn't changed too much since they were children, just some minor adjustments to show that he wasn't as childish. Though, her eye did catch onto the several slightly hidden All Might paraphernalia which brought a small smile to her face.

The next thing that caught her eye was a shiny glint. It was the gold medal he had received for his victory at the Sports Festival. It looked like it had been thrown haphazardly into the corner of his room, probably in anger and frustration.

"That metal doesn't mean squat…" He mumbled when he noticed that Ayano found it. "It doesn't mean anything. That half-and-half bastard is gonna get it next year. Next year, I'm winning it all."

He was sitting on his bed and his elbows rested on his knees. He was looking down, glaring at the ground with strong conviction. Ayano gently smiled at him. "I do not doubt it." She responded as she picked up the medal from the floor.

"However, do not think that I will let you get there so easily next time." She smirked but Bakugou felt as though her words didn't have their usual bite to them. "…The fuck is the matter with you?" He debated on whether or not to address it but ultimately chose to because of his curiosity and, quite possibly, his concern.

Ayano's eyes widened slightly, surprised that he was so perceptive, but it was gone just as soon as it came. She avoided his piercing gaze by studying the medal in her hands. She spoke, nonchalantly flipping it over to examine the other side.

"I say that…but I have quite a way to go before I can reach you." Bakugou's hands tightened, the frustration from the tournament settling in. It was the same frustration he held when he heard all those comments about her quirkless nature after her fight with Todoroki.

"Stop fucking moping. Just beat 'em all to the ground."

Not the way he wanted that to come out but sometimes, his mouth moves faster than his mind.

Her head jerked up, the surprise returning. Was this his way of comforting her? Was he actually doing that?

"I never said I was sad about it, nor am I actually that upset at the outcome. I was just merely stating an observation and opinion but…thank you." The blond blushed slightly at that, turning his head away to hide the color in his cheeks. "I wasn't saying that to comfort you, idiot! I'm telling you to take revenge!"

Ayano chuckled. She really wasn't sad about the loss but if she was, she certainly would have felt better with this. "Of course. I intend to pay him back tenfold, so it seems we'll be in competition for revenge."

She chose to change the topic, having felt a slight awkwardness at his attempt to comfort her. "You shouted some rather interesting things in your fight against him though." Bakugou raised an eyebrow, not understanding what she was getting at.

"What was that final move you used against him again? Howitzer Impact? I wonder where you got that from?" She phrased each one like a question, but the tone of her voice clearly indicated her true intentions. She tilted her head upwards, placing an index finger on her chin and tapping against it.

The boy's eyes widened significantly, mouth falling open. He knew full well what she was implying.

* * *

" _Why are you reading a book at the playground? Are you some kind of nerd?" A small Ayano looked up at the ash blond boy and immediately looked back to her book. The boy's eye twitched, having been irked from being ignored._

 _He snatched the book from her hands as she shouted in protest. "What the heck?! What are you even reading? Ho…Howi…Howitzer?" The girl snatched the book back. "I'm reading about the history of howitzers!"_

" _What the heck are those?" From the little pictures he briefly saw on the pages, they seemed to be some type of weapon and that mildly interested him. "A howitzer is a kind of weapon used for siege warfare. That's when you surround a place, trying to capture and take over it! Armies use howitzers to fire missiles and stuff at really fast speeds!"_

 _Bakugou thought it was stupid that she would come to a park just to read, but he couldn't deny that he liked seeing that excited smile on her face whenever she found something like this._

" _They're really explosive!" Ayano blinked, having an epiphany. "Hey! Kacchan! Maybe you can name one of your super moves after the howitzer! Your quirk also deals with explosions, it's perfect!"_

" _What?! No way! I wouldn't name my super move something dumb like that! And it's also hard to say!" Ayano frowned. "Ehh!? But you just said it earlier! Come on! It could be the perfect name!"_

" _Forget it!"_

* * *

Ayano still had her head tilted up, as if in thought. Her eyes slid over to him, looking through her periphery at Bakugou. A deep blush was slowly creeping up his neck and onto his cheeks.

"AH…UH…I…I-I JUST CAME UP WITH IT, OKAY?!" When she gave him a knowing smirk, he growled and quickly stood up. "I'M GOING TO THE BATHROOM!" He shouted, stomping away.

Ayano's eyes followed after him, a bright mirth shining in them. She chuckled as she sat down on his bed.

Still holding onto the first-place medal, she stared at it again. She slipped it over head, wearing it around her neck. The circular object fit snugly in her hand.

She tightened her grip, a small smile adorning her face.


	28. Chapter 28

After the conclusion of the Sports Festival, U.A. students were asked to choose an agency they wished to intern at for a week. Of course, this opportunity was extended to all of the students.

Busy with her own internship, Ayano hadn't seen Midoriya for the entire week. Needless to say, she was incredibly worried when he sent that blank text, displaying only his location. Her concern only grew that day when she couldn't get in contact with him, and even more so when news of the League of Villains and the Hero Killer in Hosu reached her ears.

After a much-needed phone call that Ayano felt was long overdue, her fears were assuaged but her anger at his recklessness wasn't. She was currently on her way to his classroom, the first day back after the internships.

As she neared the classroom, she heard raucous laughter. "BWA HA HA HA! REALLY!? REALLY, BAKUGOU?!" She was still angry, but now she was mildly interested in what was happening.

Ayano slid the door open to reveal a hysterical Kirishima and Sero laughing at an odd-looking Bakugou.

His hair was parted in a perfect 2:8 ratio, giving him the perfect prep boy look. Ayano quickly covered her mouth with her hand, but the boys still heard the suppressed chuckle. Kirishima and Sero only laughed harder. "EVEN SASAKI IS LAUGHING! YOU REALLY LOOK RIDICULOUS, BAKUGOU!"

Through the power of his anger, Bakugou's hair promptly sprung back up as he lunged towards the duo to strangle them. Ayano still covered her mouth with her hand, but one could see how much she was laughing by the shaking of her shoulders.

That type of hairstyle was absolutely ridiculous on someone like Bakugou. It fit people like the rule-abiding Iida much more. Although she initially laughed at the uncharacteristic hairstyle, she soon became strangely annoyed.

It was the same hairstyle as that of Fujiyoshi Yuudai.

Ayano chuckled again. Well, they both did have quite unlikeable personalities.

Her small smile soon disappeared when her eyes met Midoriya's. The boy began nervously sweating at her piercing gaze, knowing exactly why she had returned to her normally impassive face.

She briskly walked up to him, abruptly stopping and raising her hand. Midoriya flinched and closed his eyes tight, fearing the worst. He yelped when her hand came in contact with the top of his head.

There was no pain though. The yelp was mostly out of surprise. Ayano had simply just bopped his head with her hand in a chopping motion. It was no different than if she had just poked him in the same spot.

Midoriya looked up at her in confusion and some slight fear, uncertain of her actions. She sighed. "I cannot believe you would do something so reckless." She sighed again with much more annoyance. "I rescind that comment because that was a lie. I _do_ believe you would do something so reckless. I am just incredibly upset with you."

The green-haired boy laughed sheepishly. "Sorry Aya-chan, but I ju—" "Yes, I am aware of the circumstances. Given those circumstances, you presumably had no choice. That still does not make me any less angry." Midoriya laughed awkwardly again.

"Not that it matters. The moment has passed, and nothing I say can change anything." She gave one final sigh, as if relenting. "…I am just happy that you are safe now." Midoriya gave her a bright smile.

Ayano turned her attention towards Todoroki who was watching the interaction silently from his desk. "While we are still on the topic…Todoroki-san, you were also there, no?" He nodded.

"I heard you interned at your father's agency. Can I take that to mean that you have embraced your flames?" The dual-haired boy nodded once more. Suddenly, even though her face hadn't changed from its neutral state, he saw a sparkle in her eye.

"In that case…" Ayano quickly dug through her bag, procuring a pile of papers and slapping it onto his desk. From a glance, he could tell they were detailed sketches of a hero costume.

"You will likely be in need of an improved hero costume, as your old one is outdated. Ever since our fight during the Sports Festival, I have thought about what such improvements would be. The most obvious improvement would be to aid you in regulating your body temperature without you using any extra effort or having minimal use of your quirk."

"In order to do so, I have designed a temperature regulating bodysuit. Its designs are very much like the one I lent to Izuku. He used it during his training for the U.A. entrance exam, so you can ask him about it if you prefer. It would be more convenient for you, seeing as the two of you are in the same class. Also, I am sure he is quite familiar with its mechanics." Ayano was about to continue explaining the other support items she had in mind, but she stopped after seeing the look on Todoroki's face.

When she started explaining, he had an astonished look. He was amazed at the depth of her work. Eventually, his eyes caught onto something else.

"Your mind is elsewhere." She noted and not questioned. Todoroki furrowed his brows. "Sorry. It's not that I'm not grateful. It's just…your hand…"

Ayano had been using her right hand to point at her sketches and notes as she explained the designs. It was the same hand that she majorly injured during their fight, and he was given full view of her arm since her uniform sleeves were rolled up.

She looked at the scars on her hand, wrapping around her arm and flitting up to her elbow, disappearing below the rolled-up sleeve. The skin from her wounds were slightly discolored after healing. "The scars bother you." She noted again.

Todoroki looked away in discomfort, choosing to look at his own hand. "Sorry…It seems as though whenever I'm involved, people's hands get messed up. Maybe it's a curse or something…?"

Ayano blinked. She heard some chortles behind her, presumably from Midoriya and Iida. "I do not believe in curses or other superstitious things like that." She responded but Todoroki only furrowed his brows tighter in response, deep concern growing in him. Perhaps he really was some kind of hand crusher?

"You can rest assured, Todoroki-san. These scars are not because of you." Her words confused him. Of course they were because of him! He was the one who inflicted those wounds!

"Recovery Girl could have easily healed the wounds you gave me. She made that very clear to me. I, however, requested that she only heal until these scars remained and no further. These scars are my own doing and nobody else's. They serve as a reminder to me that I still have very far to go before I can reach my goals." Todoroki once again looked at her in amazement.

"What I am trying to say is…please do not let this be a deterrent to you. You have an amazing power." Ayano placed her scarred hand on top of Todoroki's and gently smiled at him, surprising him further. "If anything, I am grateful to you for these scars. I am also grateful that you have come to accept your own strength. If it bothers you so, I implore you to use your power for good so that others will not be scarred like this." She gripped his hand to emphasize her point.

Todoroki gripped her hand back, nodding at her with determination and eyes filling with resolve.

The rest of the class, Bakugou in particular, looked on in disbelief. Bakugou's face held a bit more anger in it though. Or was it jealousy?

To think that the poker-faced Ayano could smile like that. Even Bakugou had barely seen her smile like that since they were children. Not only that, but they were even holding hands?! What did that half-and-half prick think he was doing?! What was Ayano doing?!

Unbeknownst to Bakugou, she had smiled at him like that on plenty of occasions before. He just wasn't looking most of the time.

The blond grit his teeth, growling. If his anger at Kirishima and Sero didn't fix his hair before, his anger now certainly would have.

He pushed his way through the classmates he called extras and made a grab at the back of Ayano's collar. The sudden constriction caused her to release her grip on Todoroki's hand. "Bakugou. Release me." "Don't you have your own class to be in!?" He shouted before nearly throwing her through the doors.

Deciding better than to argue with him since homeroom _was_ going to begin soon, she looked past his shoulder at Todoroki. "You can look through the rest of the designs on your own. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me." The door was promptly slammed shut by Bakugou.

The class was silent until Kirishima spoke up. "Bakugou…Jealousy isn't very manly, you know!" "WHO THE FUCK SAID I'M JEALOUS?!"

"Getting all defensive like that only makes you more suspicious!" Kaminari joked. "SHUT UP, DUNCE FACE!"

"You're really not helping your case at all, man!" Sero added, inciting some explosions from the ash blond.

Meanwhile, Ayano stood outside the door listening to the whole thing. She gave a breathy laugh as she walked to her own classroom. To think that Bakugou would get teased like this!

* * *

A new dilemma was coming as the final exam period was drawing closer. During homeroom, Junk Master took time to explain what the final exam would entail.

"Like always, there will be a written portion and a practical portion just like in the entrance exams. We're shaking it up this year though with the practical exam! This year's practical will have two separate parts and will be continuous. In other words, you can consider yourselves to be in the middle of the practical exam from now on."

The students were all confused as well as scared. "Now, don't give me those looks! This is U.A. remember? Wouldn't do anybody any good if we went easy on you." He smiled devilishly, causing some of the students to shiver.

"First part of the practical! Each of you will have to design something that will serve as a handicap for a strong hero!" At the questioning looks of his students, Junk Master laughed.

"Think of it this way. Let's say a hero wants to train their sidekick. One way to do that is to go all out, forcing the sidekick to go past their limits in order to match them. But what if the hero is far too powerful? They need a way to hold back…" He pointed at his students. "…and that's where you kiddos come in! Your task is to design something that will hold that type of hero back: a handicap."

A student raised their hand. "But how do we know what type of handicap to give the hero if we don't know their quirk?" Junk Master laughed again. "That's the point of this test! It'd be far too easy if I told you all the details, now wouldn't it?" The student groaned.

"Keep in mind that this is an individual assignment. You're free to discuss amongst yourselves since there's no way for me to control that, but I don't think you'll want to. Us judges will be ranking your designs, and obviously you want to rank higher on the list. If you fall below a certain rank, you fail. If you share your ideas with each other, it will only lessen your chances at being at the top."

"Again, it'd be far too easy if I told you all the details, so I won't tell you what rank you have to be in order to pass. You'll just have to do your best and hope that you rank enough above your classmates!"

"That will be due the final week of June, one week before the written portion of the final exams. Now! The second part of the practical will be done in pre-assigned pairs. Your task will be to design a support item to enhance a quirk. Now, that doesn't sound too difficult at first, but you'll be designing it for an already established pro-hero. In fact, it will be one of the teachers here at U.A. and which teacher you get will be decided by lots."

Fujiyoshi Yuudai mumbled to himself. "Why is everything in this school decided by lots?!" Junk Master, however, heard him. "Excellent question, Fujiyoshi-kun!" The boy flinched, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

"Of course, popular support companies can have their pick of the litter when it comes to clients since they'll be flooded with them. But if you're a smaller support company? You won't have the freedom to do that. You'll take what you can get, even if it means dealing with a quirk you have no idea how to make a support item for. Even if you are a big support company, you don't want to offend the wrong hero by refusing their request of a support item." The man smirked.

"This test is harder than you might think. Already being an established hero, some for a long time, you'll have to compete with a professional support company's designs. You have to make a support item that will work for them after they've already had a hero costume for ages and after they've already become accustomed to that costume. Preferences and habits are very hard to break. I wonder if you kids can top the support items that us heroes have used for years?" His smirk turned into a sort of maniacal one.

"One more thing; you might find that you and your partner's ideas clash. This test was also designed with that in mind. Support companies rarely ever send only one person for an order or a job. They send out a team. If you ever hope to have a future in this business, you'll have to learn how to work with people, even the ones you don't like." Junk Master released a breathy sigh after talking for so long. "Well then! I think that's enough explanation. I'll be announcing the pairs now. For this assignment, you're free to work on it from now until Summer Break!"

The man pulled out his list of student pairs and read the first line.

" **Sasaki Ayano will be paired with Fujiyoshi Yuudai!"**


	29. Chapter 29

" **Sasaki Ayano will be paired with Fujiyoshi Yuudai!** "

Honestly, she couldn't say that she wasn't expecting that. It was quite obvious this would be the outcome, but that didn't mean she was no less annoyed with it.

By the looks of it, so was Fujiyoshi.

After all the pairings had been announced, Junk Master gave the rest of them some time to figure out what they wanted to do. In ten minutes, the class would be split up into either the Development Studio, supervised by Power Loader, or to one of the training grounds with Junk Master. Many chose to start their independent projects on the first part of the practical exam. Others took the opportunity to work with their partner on the second portion of the practical.

Currently, Ayano was flipping through some papers. Her and Fujiyoshi had been assigned to design a support item for Class 1-B's homeroom teacher, Blood Hero: Vlad King. She was looking through his file when Fujiyoshi decided to confront her.

He sat down directly in front of her, but it seemed as though she had no intention of addressing him. Eye twitching in annoyance, Fujiyoshi made a fake but obvious cough. The girl's eyes flickered up to him, acknowledging that she heard him, but they immediately returned to reading over the details of Vlad King's quirk.

As always, Fujiyoshi was irked when he realized that he would have to start the conversation yet again. "What? No rude comment or snide remark? Hmm?"

Ayano set down the papers, causing Fujiyoshi to smirk at his success in getting a rise out of her. "If anyone makes rude comments or snide remarks, it would be you." His smirk disappeared. "Well I would say that was rather rude of you." Was his retort.

She scoffed. "No. Not rude. Just a simple observation—a fact—in response to your question." He growled but quickly tried recomposing himself. "Look, I know neither of us wants to work with the other bu—" "I never said I did not want to work with you."

Fujiyoshi paused, regarding her with a careful eye. Her words were always quite straightforward and she always said them in a particular way. Not quite fast, but in a way that made people feel as though she didn't want to waste even a single breath or second. As if she wanted a better use of her time and was using it the most efficiently.

Unable to discern whether she was saying that sarcastically or not, Fujiyoshi decided to just ask her outright since it seemed that was usually the best way of dealing with her. "…I know you don't want to work with me." "I never said that." Ayano repeated.

"I know you're thinking it." He pushed again. "I have never thought that I did not want to work with you." Her response only confused him further.

"That doesn't make any sense! If you don't think that way, then why have you been so hostile to me!?" Ayano raised a single eyebrow. "I could ask you the same question." "I asked first." The girl closed her eyes in what he saw to be frustration. She was calmly evaluating the situation, growing more annoyed at his childish antics.

"You are correct in assuming that I have a mild dislike of you." Fujiyoshi mentally disagreed that it was only a 'mild' dislike. "However, that has no bearing on whether or not I would want to work with you. In fact, I have thought—on multiple occasions—that I would like for us to collaborate."

At his deeply furrowed brows of confusion, Ayano continued. "I do not like allowing my personal feelings to cloud my judgment. Although your attitude towards particular subjects is certainly less than desirable, it is obvious that I cannot say the same for your skills. I have seen your designs. I have seen your work. I have seen your ambitions. It is clear that you placed so high on the entrance exams for a reason."

Fujiyoshi leaned back, observing her again. This was not flattery. Far from it. Ayano was not the type. She was also definitely not the type to lie. Always so straight-laced and forthright. Again, she was just stating facts and observations.

"I will repeat that I have a mild dislike of you, so as not to cause any misunderstandings. However, it would be foolish to let those feelings prevent me from recognizing and acknowledging your talent. As such, I believe that it would be mutually beneficial for us to work with each other. I have always thought the notion to be rather interesting. Whether or not you feel the same is mostly your concern since you seem to be quite opposed to this union."

Her head turned towards Junk Master's voice. He was shouting that the ten minutes were up. The students that wanted to design future support items would go to the Development Studio and the students that wanted to test current support items would follow him to a training ground.

"You are incredibly skilled, Fujiyoshi-san. I hope that our clashing beliefs will not hinder the progress on our joint project." Ayano waited for a response. She didn't get one even after all of the other students had left. She stood up with her bag and left the classroom, about to go down the hallway with her classmates heading towards the Development Studio.

There was a tight grip on her wrist. Turning, she met the cold yet burning eyes of Fujiyoshi. "Training grounds." He commanded. Ayano's eyes slowly traveled from his vice-like grip to his strong gaze. It was evident that he would not take "No" for an answer, though it was never a question to begin with.

She silently followed him in the opposite direction of her original destination.

Upon reaching the training ground, the students split off to each do their own thing. Ayano followed Fujiyoshi to a more secluded and rocky area. The training ground was large like the rest of them, and there was no fear of their conversation being heard from the others. No fear of having curious onlookers or the watchful eyes of their homeroom teacher.

The entire way there, Ayano followed behind Fujiyoshi. She observed his broad shoulders and back, noticing for the first time that he had a rather good build. Yet, there seemed to be an aspect of loneliness accompanying that back.

When he finally stopped, so did she. He turned around to face her, his eyes still cold and burning like before. He walked a couple feet away, something in Ayano telling her not to follow him.

Fujiyoshi reached into his bag, pulling out a pair of oddly shaped gloves and strapping them on. Flexing his fingers to adjust to the gloves, he stared at Ayano.

"Fight me."

The girl's widened slightly, her eyebrows raising. He was looking right at her, but it also seemed like he wasn't looking at her at all. Again, it didn't seem like he would take "No" for an answer, seeing as it was never a question.

Ayano gently set her bag to the ground, calmly gauging the situation. "This is highly unnecessary. If you are angry with me because of my previous statements, you could simply explain it with words and not your fists."

"I'm not angry at you!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Then what is the point of all this?" Fujiyoshi grit his teeth, debating on what to say. "I just…I just need to see something for myself!"

The brown-haired girl made no move for her bag. Even so, it didn't matter to him. He lunged at her, fully preparing to strike. Ayano dodged his fist, only doing the bare minimum of stepping to the side to do so.

She had completely dodged it, but she still felt that something was amiss. She realized what it was when something brushed along the length of her arm.

It was her hair.

Catching a few of the short strands, her mind raced. Had she miscalculated? No. That was impossible. Even if it was a small sidestep, she had still fully dodged him. He hadn't swung fast enough or with nearly enough force to cause the resulting wind to cut her hair. Not by a long shot. Then, what happened?

As she rolled the strands of hair between her fingers, she felt something odd at the end where it had been cut. Feeling around the left side of her head, she found the place where the hairs came from.

Her fingers touched upon the same singed feeling.

Fire? From where? From what Ayano knew of his quirk, he could produce small flames from his fingertips. He often used them in place of a soldering torch. He tried to _punch_ her though. His hand was clenched, meaning his fingertips were tight against his palm. So where did the fire come from?

Ayano no longer had time to think with Fujiyoshi lunging at her again. She was so lost in thought that she barely dodged his second strike and it wasn't because she calculated it.

His fist made contact with the rocks behind her instead. The force pushed her off balance and she fell to her side. As she lay on the ground, propped up with one arm, she stared at the large indent in the crumbling rocks.

Her wide eyes searched his gloves. At each of the fingertips, there were holes. What she couldn't account for were the various small holes and tunnels on the back of his hand.

Fujiyoshi slowly turned towards her, throwing something in her direction. She caught it with one hand.

It was her bionic arm cover.

He must have retrieved it from her bag earlier, somehow without her noticing.

"You're going to need that if you want to fight me." She didn't want to fight him, but he was dead set on making it happen regardless of how she felt.

Ayano slowly stood up, slipping on the arm cover. The gears whirred, fastening itself to her arm. Following his movements, she flexed her fingers to adjust to the feeling of metal wrapping around them.

The two stood facing each other, eyes never leaving the other's. They waited, with bated breath, for some sort of cue. It came from the debris left by Fujiyoshi's earlier punch. One more chunk of the rock began to fall from the indent.

As soon as it hit the ground, they lunged at each other.

* * *

Junk Master was overseeing his students when he heard the sound of a bus pull up. He turned around to see Aizawa and Class 1-A coming off the bus.

"Yo, Aizawa! I'll just round up my kids and we'll be out of your hair real quick!" The scruffy man raised a hand as a form of greeting as well as to say 'It's fine.'

"We're a bit early anyways." Junk Master laughed sheepishly. "I hope you didn't mind the last time when Sasaki said all that." Aizawa shook his head. "She was right, and this is a shared space. Just because we're part of the hero course doesn't mean we have exclusive rights."

Junk Master was about to thank him when the ground shook beneath them. They were small tremors and not exactly like an earthquake, but it was enough to worry the two teachers. Possibly another villain attack? "Teacher!"

The man turned to some of his students. "Sasaki-chan and Fujiyoshi-kun…! They…They're fighting!" The kids managed through gasping breaths.

Junk Master's eyes widened. The two teachers looked at each other. If it was really Sasaki and Fujiyoshi, he might need assistance. Aizawa gave a short but decisive nod, understanding the predicament.

The two men ran in the direction of the tremors, but not without some unaccounted for additional help.

"Hey, Bakugou!" "Deku-kun!?"

* * *

Their fight was cautious at first. Almost overly so. Each one trying to gauge the other's strength and plan the next move. It quickly escalated though, their emotions playing heavily into the fight.

When they came to another standstill, both of them catching their breath, Ayano spoke. "Who are you?" His head jerked up at the question.

"Who are you?" She repeated, but her question sounded more like a command this time. Her eyes darted over his body, examining his form, his posture, and all the scratches on him thus far.

"I don't know what you're asking." Fujiyoshi avoided looking directly at her analytical eyes. She narrowed them. "Normal people do not move like that. Normal people do not move like you do." She took slow and deliberate steps towards him, each one being punctuated with her words. "Who. Are. You?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He was beginning to be backed into a corner. "Aren't you the one who says we need to be in top physical condition in order to test out our own creations?"

Ayano stopped directly in front of him, unable to walk any further as she forced his back up against the rocks. "Yes. I do say that, but does anybody really listen? We are not heroes. We are not in the Hero Course, so we do not undergo the same kind of training that they do. Why do you suppose so few of us made an impression in the Sports Festival?" In fact, she was the only one in the Support Department to have made it past the obstacle course.

She recalled all the things Fujiyoshi said in the past, all of his actions, his attitude towards heroes and villains. "You know, for someone who claims to hate heroes so much, you move and fight an awful lot like one." His jaw clenched and she saw the twitch in his brow. She hit upon something. Just what, she wasn't sure of yet, but it was something big enough to be a sore subject.

"Why did you not show these skills during the Sports Festival? And do not tell me it's because you couldn't. Nobody can make this much progress in such a short amount of time. We are in the same class. I see what you do. No amount of training in that time could lead to this." His jaw clenched tighter, his hands shaking slightly.

"Why? You could have easily made it through to the one-on-one tournament. Our fight just now proves it." Fujiyoshi's eyes were still trained to the ground. Ayano grabbed at his uniform's collar, forcing him to look at her. "You are the one always talking about finding the biggest client and making the most money. So, why did you throw away your chances at the Sports Festival?"

She wondered if this was how Bakugou felt when he got angry at her for placing quite low in the obstacle race. She had regretted it before, but now she was truly understanding his anger.

At his silence, Ayano shook him in hopes of jolting him into reality. "You do not hate heroes like you say, Fujiyoshi. Someone who hates heroes cannot make the kind of support items that you do."

"Did you even _want_ to be part of the Support Department?" A flinch. "You have had training. Far more training than most of our classmates. If I did not know any better, I would have thought you were someone in the Hero Department. Someone who got accepted through recommendations, even."

"…Shut up…" He mumbled, but Ayano pushed further. "Who are you?" She asked once more. It was not a simple question, and there was no simple answer. There was so much more to that question. So many underlying things. It went so much further than that.

Who are you? Where did you come from? What brought you here? What made you like this? What is it that you want? Why are you hiding? What are you hiding from?

"I said shut up!" The boy crashed his head into hers, causing her grip on his collar to loosen. He took this chance to push her away.

Ayano dug her heels into the ground to avoid sliding backwards. The two glared at each other. They lunged forward, fully prepared for another brawl, but were stopped by the teachers. Ayano's arms were fiercely jerked back behind her. She felt the cool touch of metal wrapping around her wrists, restraining her arms with a handcuff like mechanism. Aizawa's cloths captured Fujiyoshi, his hair rising and giving everyone full view of his red eyes erasing the boy's quirk.

"Sasaki! Fujiyoshi! What is going on here?! The pairings for the exam weren't made without any reason! I paired you two together precisely because you're on such bad terms! You think fighting is goi—" Junk Master abruptly paused when he saw the look on Ayano's face.

She was looking straight at Fujiyoshi, never even stopping to acknowledge her teacher. There was a slight bit of emotion in her eyes, but it wasn't anger. It was confusion.

The man looked between his two students, realizing that this was caused by something other than just their bad relationship with each other.

He released Ayano from the handcuff device, understanding that this wasn't just another fight and that she was calm. Aizawa did the same for Fujiyoshi. She was still looking at him, but his head was turned down towards his feet.

Junk Master coughed loudly, gaining their attention. "I'm not going to ask what happened here, but I will not tolerate it happening again. From now until the Final Exam Period is over, you two are not to fight like this! If you break this rule, I will have to fail you both!"

It took a moment, but Ayano bowed to him. "Understood." She said begrudgingly and turned around to leave. "Sasaki!" Fujiyoshi's shout stopped her, forcing her to look at him again. "You don't know what you're talking about." He stalked away before she got a chance to respond.

Ayano begged to differ. She believed it was _him_ who had no idea what he was talking about.

His words may be able to do so, but his eyes can't lie. There was a sadness in them. A deep pain.

The boy was lost. Completely and utterly lost.

And Ayano had every intention of finding out why.


	30. Chapter 30

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET THIS WRONG?! I JUST TAUGHT IT TO YOU!"

"Hey! I'm trying, man! This is a lot harder than you made it seem!"

Bakugou proceeded to smack the top of Kirishima's head with a rolled-up workbook, the agitation clearly getting to him. He was incredibly close to burning the papers in his hands by accidently activating his quirk in anger.

Tutoring the redhead for final exams proved to be a much greater nuisance than he initially thought.

"HEY, BRAT! WILL YOU QUIET DOWN! YOU HAVE ANOTHER GUEST!" His mother shouted. "SHUT UP, YOU OLD HAG!" The boy yelled back, as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

The footsteps soon stopped in front of his slightly open door. Guest? Who could it possibly be?

If it was dunce face, he'd blow him to hell. If it was his mom, he'd blow her to hell. His dad was at work but if it was him, he'd blow him to hell too.

The unknown guest knocked three times on the door. The force of the knocking pushed the door the rest of the way open, revealing Ayano.

Well, he certainly hadn't expected it to be her.

"Hey, Aya-chan! What's up!" Kirishima greeted, earning himself a glare from the ash blond. Calling her a nickname with that honorific?! Since when had she and hedgehog hair become so close!?

"Oh. My apologies. I was not aware that you were on a date." "WHO THE HELL IS ON A DATE, HUH!?"

The girl smirked. "You're right. That was a foolish comment from me. I cannot imagine anyone who would willingly go on a date with you." Kirishima unsuccessful tried stifling his laughter, causing Bakugou to hit him again. "YOU GET ONE QUESTION WRONG ON THAT WORKSHEET AND I'LL BLOW YOU TO BITS!" The redhead quickly got back to work, though he was unable to wipe the smile from his face.

Ayano raised an eyebrow. "You are tutoring him. That is…quite virtuous of you." He caught onto the hesitation in her voice. "I CAN BE VIRTUOUS TOO!"

The girl took her seat on the floor, alongside the two boys. "I never said you could not, just implied that it is rather rare of you."

The blond was just about to yell again when his mother burst into the room. "KATSUKI! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO SHUT UP!" "YOU SHUT UP, YOU COW!"

The older woman carefully set down the tray of drinks and snacks before throwing her fist down onto her son's head. With her fist still in contact with his head, she flashed a bright smile at Kirishima and Ayano. "Sorry about him! I guess he's just… **excited** …about having friends over for once." When she emphasized the word 'excited,' her fist ground against Bakugou's head, giving him a painful noogie.

"I brought you kids some snacks, so help yourselves!" Kirishima gratefully accepted, immediately digging in. Ayano slightly bowed her head in appreciation. "Thank you, Mitsuki-san, but this was not very necessary."

The older woman just waved it off. "Don't worry about it! Like I said, it's rare for this brat to have friends over. I was beginning to think he didn't have any!" She laughed boisterously. Bakugou couldn't handle it anymore and forcefully removed her fist from his head.

"Will you piss off already!" He pushed his mother out of the room and slammed the door shut. Kirishima called out to him with about eight Pocky sticks shoved in his mouth. "Hey, Bakugou! You should treat your mom with more respect!" All he received was a deep glare, prompting him to quickly go back to scribbling on the practice worksheet in front of him.

Bakugou's focus then turned to Ayano nibbling on a Meiji matcha biscuit. "What are you doing here?" She swallowed the bite of the snack. "To study, I suppose."

An irk mark appeared on his temple. Bakugou knew better than that. Ayano was one of the people who needed the least help studying. Pulling out stacks of notebooks and worksheets from her bag, she said, "I believe there is a mistake on one of the practice exams, and I would like to confirm with you."

"Why don't you just ask Deku then?" He didn't mean for it to come out like that. It just did.

Truth be told, he was happy. She came to him when she had a problem. A minor problem, but it didn't take away from the fact that she still sought his help. It was a good feeling, but he couldn't help but wonder why she didn't ask Deku. It just came out snappier than he intended.

Ayano stared at him for a moment, gauging his reaction. "Are you saying it would be better to ask him instead?" Bakugou spluttered, "I didn't say that!" She continued looking at him, but ultimately decided not to push it.

"For your information, I did ask him. He, however, has yet to finish this practice exam. Therefore, I thought I might ask you." Bakugou frowned.

So, he was right. It wasn't like he was the only person she would come to for help. In fact, he wasn't even the first. He was just the second choice, and probably only because they lived close to each other.

"Why didn't you just call me or something?!" He shouted to hide his disappointment. "I do not have your contact information." She instantly replied.

It was true. They hadn't talked to each other all that much after primary school. They only had cellphones after the fact and never got to share contact information. Bakugou grumbled, swiping the practice exam from her hands.

Kirishima was once again distracted, no longer focusing on the worksheet assigned to him. He watched the entire interaction and he looked on as his two peers discussed the problem in question.

He had always thought something was up between Bakugou and Ayano before. Every time she came into their classroom, it seemed like she would always catch his attention. And not just any girl would dare to talk to Bakugou like she would!

The redhead grew more suspicious of there being something between the two childhood friends when Bakugou grew jealous about Ayano talking to Todoroki before. Now, Kirishima was entirely convinced.

When Ayano had said she already asked Midoriya about the practice exam, Bakugou almost looked sad. Almost like he was sulking at the fact. Of course, if Kirishima mentioned anything, he was sure that the blond wouldn't hesitate to blow him up.

Kirishima smiled. Despite Bakugou's less than stellar personality, he thought they seemed like a good match. You know what they say, behind a good man is a good woman! If he had a girl like Aya-chan to back him up, Kirishima didn't think he'd have to worry about Bakugou.

"What kind of dumbass would do that for that problem?!"

"I am telling you that your method is highly unorthodox!"

"Why does it matter?! Who the hell cares if I didn't do it the way they wanted! I got it right, didn't I?!"

"I always knew you were an idiot in real life. I just did not think that extended to your academics. I sincerely do wonder how you placed first in your entrance exams."

Kirishima smiled sheepishly. Well…maybe it was too soon to think that way. First, those two needed to be a bit more honest with each other, and who knows how long that might take.

They soon settled their debate and the three students studied in silence, save for the occasional instructional yelling from Bakugou and helpful tips from Ayano.

Kirishima didn't have the kind of mental fortitude that Ayano and Bakugou did when it came to studying, so he decided to take a break. As he stretched, he took notice of one of the papers in Ayano's pile. It was slightly poking out, allowing him to see a drawing.

Ayano easily noticed him, seeing as his stretching had stopped in an awkward pose with his arms in the air. She followed his gaze to her stack of papers. "If you are interested, you may take a look."

The redhead flinched. "Sorry! I didn't mean to stare." He apologized. Ayano nodded her head in acknowledgement, but said no further. He took the opportunity and pulled out the drawing to get a better look. "Woah! Is this one of your designs, Aya-chan?"

She nodded again. "It is one of the prototype designs for part of the practical portion of our final exam. My partner and I have been assigned to make a support item for Class 2-B's homeroom teacher, Vlad King."

Kirishima noted the sparkle that seemed to appear in Ayano's eyes as it always did when the topic of support items came up. "That's so cool! His quirk deals with his blood, right? That would explain all the needles and stuff." He said as he pointed to the design. There was an array of canisters attached with wires, presumably where the blood would flow through. There was also a separate design of needles layering the insides of pieces of armor, probably to pierce the skin upon command and collect blood.

"Man, this stuff is so complicated! You guys in the Support Department are super talented! I would never be able to come up with this!" Kirishima laughed. His brows furrowed. "But, thinking about all those needles pricking me is kind of weird. I'm sure Vlad King wouldn't have a problem though, since it is his quirk!"

Ayano looked at the boy with interest. "How curious. Izuku said the same thing when he saw the design. There is something about needles and blood that makes people collectively feel strange. Perhaps it is an evolutionary trait."

Kirishima didn't really get what she was talking about, but Bakugou didn't let him ask. The blond hit him on the head again, demanding that he go back to studying.

Soon enough, Ayano decided to head back home. Mitsuki forced her son to see her off since she 'wouldn't dare have a son with no manners.' As such, both Bakugou and Kirishima said goodbye to her at the front door.

Just before she turned to leave, Kirishima hatched an idea. "Hey, Aya-chan! Do you mind if we exchange numbers? You know, in case I need help with other questions?"

"Of course not." The girl responded as she pulled out her phone. They traded phones and typed out their numbers. "Feel free to contact me about any problems you may encounter. You can also contact me to ask about making you support items if you wish."

Kirishima brightly smiled. "Awesome!" He soon felt a glare at the back of his head, prompting him to move on with his plan. "Bakugou! You should get her number too!"

"Why the hell would I want her number?" He mumbled. There he goes again. Not being honest.

"In case she finds a mistake on another practice exam! That way, you won't have to make her come all the way here! I mean, you asked earlier why she didn't just call you." Kirishima responded, smirking knowingly at the blond.

The boy just growled, not having a good response. He snatched Ayano's phone from the redhead's hands, inputting his number.

"You know, if you wanted her number that badly, you could've just asked. No need to put on the tough guy act. It's manlier to just ask straight up!" Kirishima teased. After so much agitation from tutoring the boy, Bakugou was finally fed up and lunged at the boy, tossing Ayano's phone back to her.

The boys grappled each other, fighting out on the lawn. Ayano chuckled at their antics, looking on and thinking about her conversation with Mitsuki.

" _I fear that at that point, he may not know how to take that. He'll realize that he isn't some big fish in a small pond. The pond is much bigger than he thinks and there is much bigger prey than him. I have no idea how he'll react, but I doubt that this will bode well."_

She smiled gently. It seemed like she didn't have to worry after all. With someone like Kirishima by his side, Ayano believed Bakugou would be just fine at U.A.

She looked down at her phone, seeing Bakugou's number. Pressing the save button, she walked back home and left the boys to continue their fight.


	31. Chapter 31

Ayano arrived at the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall along with the majority of Class 1-A. She had been invited to the excursion by both Kirishima and Midoriya.

Students of the Support Course did not have a training camp like students of the Hero Course. Instead, they would be allowed to spend their Summer Break within certain parts of the campus. They would be free to use the Development Studio as they pleased. They would also be free to use the many training grounds around U.A., so long as they properly signed up for it.

Of course, unlike a training camp, there was no incentive for students to spend their valuable vacation on school grounds. As a result, Junk Master had given his students multiple assignments due after Summer Break, effectively forcing them to use their time wisely. Some students wanted to get it over with and have more time to relax. Others preferred to procrastinate, prioritizing play over work and waiting until the final days to complete the assignments.

Ayano, being neither of the two types of students, was overjoyed at the prospect of using the school's facilities and planned to spend as much time there as she could over the break. In fact, she had already signed up for various time slots for access to the training grounds.

She graciously accepted Kirishima's and Midoriya's offer of joining their class to go shopping, since she needed quite the amount of supplies for the kind of projects she planned to work on.

At Kirishima's suggestion, Class 1-A split, each group or person going off to find whatever they needed. Ayano, Midoriya, and Uraraka were the only ones left at the original meeting spot. Midoriya and Uraraka were left behind, neither being in so much of a hurry as the rest of their classmates. Ayano had stayed behind because she was studying a map of the mall. Memorizing the entire layout would allow her to plan out the quickest and most efficient route.

She never had any intentions of hanging out with the rest of them anyways.

"A-Aya-chan! What are you planning to buy?" Midoriya asked after he recovered from being in awe of his classmates' rush. Ayano folded up the map and placed it in her pocket, only to procure another folded piece of paper: her shopping list.

She began listing off the vast amount of materials. "Petroleum, wrought iron, potassium nitrate, silicon carbide, corundum, na—" "Can you even find some of those things in a mall!?" Midoriya and Uraraka shouted in surprise.

Ayano blinked. "…I highly doubt it, but there is no harm in trying. There are some things on this list that I can find at this mall, so coming here is not a complete waste of my time."

Midoriya laughed and then asked Uraraka what she planned to buy. She gave a flustered response, running away while shouting something about bug spray. Midoriya's eyes followed after her in confusion.

Everyone had come to the mall together, but now it was just Midoriya and Ayano left. She turned to her friend. "Well, if you do not need me, I will be on my way." She said, already beginning to walk away before finishing the sentence.

* * *

Just as she thought, most of the items on her shopping list were unattainable at this mall. All she had to show for this trip was a single, modest bag of materials. As she said earlier, it wasn't a complete waste of her time because she at least found some of the things on her list.

Ayano was on the second-floor balcony, on her way to go down the escalators. As she was walking alongside the railings, she looked down to the first floor where their original meeting place was.

She managed to catch sight of Midoriya's green hair in the midst of the large crowd. Her eyebrows furrowed. " _Has he finished shopping already? …No, he's with someone._ "

She squinted in order to see better. Uraraka looked to be walking cautiously towards the two figures. As soon as Ayano saw Midoriya shouting at Uraraka, she immediately took action.

Ayano ran across the balcony, frantically pushing past people to get a better shot. Reaching the best angle of vision, she knelt down and rested her left arm on top of the railings. Her right hand grabbed her left forearm, further stabilizing it. A holographic screen of information popped up above her watch. A crosshair locked onto the hooded man next to Midoriya.

The man suddenly released the boy, standing up and walking through the crowd. Ayano's arm followed him, her watch still locked on. " _…No…I can't. There are too many civilians. I do not know who this man is and it is uncertain whether this would be effective. There is no telling what he might do to the people around him should I fail._ " After all, her watch couldn't compare to her bionic arm cover.

Ayano sighed, begrudgingly lowering her arm and disarming her weapon. It pained her to let him go scot-free, but it was for the best.

The hooded man suddenly looked up at the second-floor balcony, straight at Ayano. The conviction and bloodlust, coupled with that manic smile nearly made her fall down in a fear that she had never felt before.

Even after the man had turned back around and disappeared within the crowd, Ayano could still feel the slight shivers coursing through her body. Her right hand quickly slapped itself over her left wrist in a tight grip to still the shaking.

Of course, she had faced many dangers before—even taking on the sludge villain without a second thought. _This_ man, however, was a different story. He had an aura like no other.

She was beginning to understand everyone's newfound fascination with the Hero Killer and the League of Villains.

But now wasn't the time to think about that.

The mall was quickly shut down in order to pursue Shigaraki Tomura, but the pro heroes and police were met with no success.

Midoriya was brought to the police for an interview, detailing his conversation with the villain. Ayano remained outside of the police station waiting for him as well as for his mother.

Midoriya Inko arrived in tears, distraught and in relief of her son's safety. "Izukuuuu! Enough, already! Your old mom's heart can't take it…"

Ayano watched on as Inko wrapped her arms tightly around her son, crying into his shoulder as he tried comforting her.

The brown-haired girl narrowed her eyes, thoughts causing her brow to wrinkle. A deep frown was set on her face, pulled taut from her teeth biting at the insides of her mouth. She released a deep breath, easing her features.

She knew what she had to do.

* * *

"A-Aya-chan, what did you want to talk about?" Midoriya asked nervously.

Ayano was never the type to be secretive. If she wanted to talk to someone, she would just do it without any reservation. It didn't matter to her if people were around to hear.

So, the fact that she called him out to talk _alone_ was already concerning enough. Not to mention, he had no idea what was on her mind.

Not that he ever really had a good idea. Ayano was always so collected and nearly unreadable.

Yet, he could tell that something was off in her stare.

"Your training camp…It is not going to be held in the usual place." A statement, not a question. Midoriya still felt the need to answer though. "Y-Yeah. It's for our own safety because of what happened yesterday with Shigaraki Tomura."

Ayano nodded. "A reasonable and rational decision." Midoriya knew that wasn't all she wanted to know. He shakily responded, "A-Aya-chan, even we don't know where we're going. They said we'd know once we get there."

"That is fine. I assumed things would happen as such…" She reached into her bag, producing a thin disk. Its diameter no bigger than a dime's. "…Which is why I created this tracking device."

Midoriya's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "Aya-chan! That's too dangerous! What if the teachers find out? Or worse! Villains!" He whisper-shouted.

"What's _dangerous_ is that you are going to an unknown location. I, nor your own mother, know anything about your destination. Think about our feelings for a change. If not mine, then at least hers." Ayano stepped threateningly close to him. "You saw how she was last night at the police station. You saw the condition she was in. You had no scratches but she was reduced to tears."

"This may be your dream, but you are _**her son**_. Her _**only**_ son. You cannot keep ignoring her feelings." She stepped back, allowing Midoriya to breath without an intense aura so close to him.

"I am not saying you have to reveal any information that may put you and your classmates at risk." She revealed a second disk, one that matched the first. "Neither device will activate unless one of us activates our own, and you have my word that I will not do so unless I deem it absolutely necessary."

When Midoriya didn't lift his hand to receive the gadget, Ayano forcibly pushed it into his palm. "All you have to do is keep it attached to your phone. Place it against the back of your phone and it will magnetize itself. It will not fall off so easily, but it is thin enough for you to put your phone case over it if you are so inclined."

An uneasy look washed over Midoriya's face. His lips set in a thin line and jaw clenched, he was terribly conflicted. "…What about Kacchan…?" He finally asked.

Ayano raised a brow. "What _about_ him?" She sighed at his imploring look. She knew what he meant, and he knew that she knew. There was no point in him elaborating.

She scoffed. "You know as well as I do that he would not listen to me. He would probably try to crush this device, uttering some idiotic notion about how he is not so weak that he would need a tracking device in the event of a villain invasion. In fact, he would probably say something stupid about how he would just beat them up if that was the case."

Midoriya looked down in defeat, knowing that she was completely right. Still, he thought this was too risky and would be very much looked down upon by the teachers. "Aya-chan! I still don't think you should ask me to d—" " **Midoriya Izuku**."

His breath caught in his throat, a cold sweat coming to the surface after hearing the harsh voice.

Ayano was always a serious person.

There was a difference between serious and scary though. In Ayano's case, it was _big_ difference.

Something like calling him by his full name…Midoriya could count the number of times she did that on a single hand.

He dared to look into her eyes, the ferocity in them causing his skin to grow even paler. He felt almost sickly at this point.

" **I am not. Asking. You.** "

With that, she turned around and brusquely walked away.

* * *

Soon enough, the first day of Summer Break and the training camp came. The students of the Hero Course left early in the morning, boarding a bus and sent off to an undisclosed location.

Ayano arrived at the school with Midoriya, sending him off with a nod. Afterwards, she walked into the deathly quiet school building. Being this early in the morning, there was nearly nobody in the hallway but a few teachers patrolling.

She walked into the Development Studio, finding it just as empty as the hallways. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of metal. Reopening her eyes, she exhaled slowly and set about to working.

Not long after she started crafting, the door to the studio slid open to reveal her classmate. Fujiyoshi Yuudai.

Ayano was surprised. Not because he was here, but because he had chosen this time to come. Ayano and Mei were the first ones to sign up for time slots in the Development Studio and training grounds. There was no way Fujiyoshi had failed to see that she would be the only one here at this time.

It was a highly questionable act, considering his previous behavior.

After their fight, Fujiyoshi had avoided Ayano altogether. Of course, she never made the effort to talk to him either, but he refused to meet her eyes even once after their bout. Working together for the final project was difficult, given that he would only communicate with her over the phone or text.

The two were never seen working on Vlad King's support item at the same time. Even so, they passed with flying colors—as the rest of their classmates expected.

She thought it strange, but believed she had no right to question him. She gathered all the information she needed in other ways.

Fujiyoshi set his materials down at the station across from her. There was something different in his behavior today. He had been acting strange all of last month, but it was even more evident today.

He seemed afraid.

Surely it wasn't fear of her. He had shown none of that when he adamantly challenged her that one day.

Well, Ayano had vowed to herself that she would figure out why the boy seemed so lost. Now seemed like the best time to talk to him about it.

"Yuudai…Do you like that name?" He flinched. So she was right. His name _was_ a sore subject for him. After their first unpleasant meeting, she noted the irony in the meaning of his name. 'Great hero.'

For someone with such an attitude as his towards heroes, the name seemed to be misattributed. "Do you have a problem with my name?" He grumbled.

Ayano gave a short laugh. "I do not believe that I am the one who has a problem with it…" Fujiyoshi glared at her, clearly understanding what she was insinuating.

She continued. "I once believed that you hated heroes. That you believed they were merely clients to you. That you would even make support items for villains should they have fatter wallets."

She set down her tools, giving him her full attention. "I know now that my assumption was incorrect. Our fight gave me a lot of insight on your true intentions and motives. As I have said before, you are lost Fujiyoshi Yuudai. Incredibly lost."

"When we fought…there was this glint in your eyes. One that I have seen on many occasions from others. There was this rush of excitement I saw flowing through you that I think nobody had ever seen before."

When he remained silent, she decided to just let out everything. "I looked into your background." That finally got a rise out of him. His head immediately jerked up, looking at her with a surprised glare.

"I did not invade your privacy. What I found was not anything hidden from the public. The internet is a powerful resource." She elaborated.

"Your father is an interesting man. The public had high hopes for him. On the verge of becoming a 'great hero,' his dreams were abruptly crushed in a tragic accident, leaving him impaired and out of the business."

"With his dreams so suddenly out of reach, I assume he wanted to find another way to fulfill that dream. Of course, that would be through you, Fujiyoshi Yuudai." She saw him tightening his hands into fists, his knuckles turning white.

"It is not an uncommon practice. Many parents will try to emulate themselves within their children. What _is_ uncommon, was how extreme his methods were. Like I said previously, if I had not known any better, I would have pegged you for a student of the Hero Course. You have received rigorous training. More training than many of the students here…"

Ayano sighed, as if she found it difficult to say the next part. "…And then you developed your quirk. A quirk deemed 'unfit' for hero work." Fujiyoshi's fists were shaking, his nails digging deeply into his palms.

"You were only a child, but your entire life was still built around becoming a hero. A quirk like yours left you very little hope, so you took that hope into your own hands. You built your own support items, wishing that they would make your dream a reality. From what I saw, you could very well have made it a reality…"

Ayano smirked. "…But in the process of making that hero dream come true, you found a _different_ dream. One that I would imagine your father did not take too kindly to."

She placed her palms on the table, leaning her body forward. "You love making support items, but your past is holding you back."

Fujiyoshi scoffed. "So, what!? Are you gonna tell me I'm being stupid?! That I should just forget about everything!? About my dad!?"

Ayano frowned. "I would never tell you to do that. I could never imagine what this is like for you. I come from a very supportive family." She leaned back, easing her features. "I did not confront you with the intention of telling you what to do. You are your own person. I was simply stating my opinions, and if I may, I would like to state another."

"You may be his son, but this is _your_ dream. Not his." She smiled, almost laughing at the irony. It was basically the complete opposite of what she said to Midoriya when she was admonishing him about his mother. Was she being a hypocrite?

She picked up her tools, going back to working. "Again, I do not intend to tell you what you should do. I just think it would be a shame to lose a fellow inventor. One with such talent, at that."

"You're not the one I want to hear that from!" Fujiyoshi shouted, his voice echoing in the studio. Ayano regarded him with concerned eyes. He would have been infuriated if it were pity but despite all their disagreements, she was genuinely concerned for him.

It was probably the most expressive he'd seen her.

"Just…Just shut up! Why do you have to make this so difficult for me!" He was panting, physically as well as mentally tired from this conversation.

Ayano bowed her head slightly. "I apologize if I caused you distress…" She lifted her head, fixing him with a piercing gaze. "…but if this is making you think about your life decisions, I do not regret confronting you."

Fujiyoshi growled. He stormed out, unable to take it anymore. He had left all of his belongings in the studio. One of which, included his current project. A red light was blinking on the surface of the metal.

Ayano was curious, but she believed it would be improper to touch his possessions without permission. She quietly returned to her work, but was once again distracted by her thoughts.

She had not checked with him, but she hoped that Midoriya had listened to her. Of course, she could always activate her matching tracking device to see if he really took his with him, but that would be a breach of their contract. Ayano was a woman of her word. She would not betray him like this.

That left her with another option. Her phone.

She didn't think they would have the time to look at their phones, given how intense U.A. was. It wouldn't hurt to try though.

The girl scrolled through her contacts, seeing Midoriya's name. Her finger stopped just above the call button.

Her eyes fell upon Bakugou's name.

There was no reason for her to call him when she had Midoriya's number. Yet, she had a sudden, unexplainable urge to.

She doubted that he would answer her call but again, it wouldn't hurt to try.

Tapping the call button, she listened to the repetitive tone. Her head turned to the sound of the door sliding open, her eyes widening at the sight.

* * *

A message glowed on the screen of Bakugou's phone.

 _1 Missed Call_

 _Sasaki Ayano_


	32. Chapter 32

It had been a couple days since the villain attack on the training camp.

Since Bakugou had been captured.

Midoriya was transferred to a nearby hospital, drifting in and out of consciousness. There were gaps in his memories with pain accompanying most of them.

He glanced to his left to find cut apples on his nightstand and a concerned note from his mother.

" _Izukuuuu! Enough, already! Your old mom's heart can't take it…"_

" _This may be your dream, but you are_ _ **her son**_ _. Her_ _ **only**_ _son. You cannot keep ignoring her feelings."_

He gazed absentmindedly at the ceiling, only able to move his neck and head without too much pain.

His mother was never one to reprimand him too harshly, but Ayano had no such reservations. Although, that really wasn't his biggest concern.

He was just disappointed in himself – ashamed even.

Suddenly, his classmates came into the room to greet him. All of them were relieved to see him awake, but there was this sense of unease on all of them.

Emotions ran wild as Kirishima and Todoroki revealed their intentions of going to save Bakugou.

Their conversation was interrupted by soft knocking. The room was shrouded in silence, each student hoping that law enforcement wasn't on the other side of the door and that whoever it was, didn't hear about their risky plans.

The door slid slightly open, an adult woman poking her head through. "Izu-kun! You're awake! That's great. I hope you don't mind that we came to visit." She walked in with another man, presumably her husband.

The entire class let out a collective breath, incredibly relieved that it was someone Midoriya knew. "Asuka-san! Kaito-san!" The boy greeted, equally relieved and surprised with a tinge of gratitude. "You didn't have to come all this way..."

He noticed something off about the two of them. They seemed… _tired_ , and incredibly so. Asuka was always cheerful, or at least tried to be. Midoriya could tell that her cheerfulness now was not nearly to the degree that it always is. Something was wrong. Was it really just concern about him being admitted to the hospital?

"Nonsense! Of course we would come to visit when you're in such a condition. You're basically a son to us with how close you and Ayano are!" Asuka placed the bouquet of flowers in the empty vase on the nightstand.

The students' minds clicked with recognition upon hearing of the woman's connection to their classmate. So the gentle woman and stern-looking man were Ayano's parents. They saw that Ayano got her hair and more feminine features of her face from her mother, but that constantly stoic look and personality definitely seemed to come from her father.

"We also brought you some fruit to help nurse you back to health!" Asuka gestured to her husband who simply lifted the gift basket full of fresh produce.

She looked around the room, glancing upon each student's face. "My, you have so many visitors today, Izu-kun. You're so popular!" The woman gasped. "Might you all know of my daughter, Ayano?"

At some hesitant and shy nods, Asuka gave a small smile. "I'm glad she's been able to make so many friends!" She bowed to them. "She may be a handful sometimes, but she always means well. Please take care of her."

Many of the students grew embarrassed, not entirely accustomed to the situation. They covered it with sheepish laughter.

It was then that Midoriya realized what seemed off this entire time. Most of his classmates and even Ayano's parents visited him.

But there was no sign of Ayano.

The media was all over this case, so there was no way that she was unaware. Knowing how she is, Ayano would stop at nothing to come see him. He thought for sure that she would have been the first person he'd see when he awoke, just to reprimand him for his reckless actions. He knew that just showed how much she cared though.

Yet, she was nowhere in sight and he hadn't even received any sort of message from her the entire training camp. Even if she had come while he was still unconscious, she would have surely left a strongly worded letter.

"Um...Asuka-san, where is Aya-chan?" He addressed the woman. Her smile faded into an uncomfortable grimace, her eyes shifting downwards.

She bit her lip, nearly drawing blood, and Midoriya could see the tears glistening in her eyes, threatening to pour out. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, gaining the courage to speak and losing it in the very next second.

Her husband stepped up, laying a comforting hand on the small of her back. Kaito's eyes bore straight into Midoriya's. The boy was already anxious from Asuka's physical response. Kaito's piercing gaze only added to his anxiety, shivers crossing his skin.

" **Ayano has gone missing.** "

The weight of his words were crushing. Midoriya felt as though the casts on his arms had hidden weights in them, adding to the searing pain. Was he strapped to the hospital bed? It definitely felt like it.

When his voice finally decided to work, he spoke softly. Uncertainly. "...M-Missing...? W-What do you mean...?"

Kaito sighed. "She has been gone since the Summer Break started."

Since the first day? When the training camp started? How long ago was that?

The villains had attacked on the third night of the training camp. He had been in the hospital for around two or three days.

A week? She was missing for almost a week? Where could she have gone?

His thoughts were interrupted by Kaito's deep voice. "We thought it inappropriate to burden you with such concern, seeing the condition you are in and what you have gone through...but we are growing desperate. We also believe that you have the right to know."

"Have you had any contact with our daughter since the Summer Break started?" Midoriya shook his head, the fear settling in.

Seeing this, Asuka finally cut in. She gave him a bright smile, or at least tried to with the tears flowing down her cheeks. "I'm sure it's nothing too serious! You know how that girl is, always so focused on her work. You remember that time she slept in the park because she was there all day testing out one of her inventions? How worried I was when she didn't come home! It must be something like that! You should have seen her face when she told me that she could use the U.A. facilities over the vacation. She's probably off somewhere testing out her support items like always and forgetting to call me!"

The woman spoke quickly, probably trying to convince herself more than Midoriya. She laughed, but there was no humor in it. Unable to remain composed, Asuka excused herself.

As the door shut, the sound echoed in everyone's ears. Kaito addressed Midoriya again. "We have already contacted the police on the matter. Are you certain that you have received no contact with her?"

Kaito sighed as the boy shook his head. "Of course, we hope that it is not serious but we have to be cautious...considering the timing of all this..." Obviously, he was referring to the villain attack on the training camp as well as Bakugou's kidnapping.

"Please let us know if you hear anything." Kaito bowed to all of them. "Take care, Izuku." The man walked out in search of his wife, his broad back looking lonely.

The room was once again shrouded in silence. Kaminari was the first to break it. "...H-Hey, you guys don't think that the League of Villains..." He didn't dare finish the question, but everyone was thinking the same thing.

Midoriya laughed, much like Ayano's mother had earlier. "N-No! There's no way! You heard her, right? Aya-chan probably got carried away again and forgot to call home...Ha ha ha..." He laughed again, but his fear and hysteria was becoming more and more evident.

"Why would they take her anyways? She's not part of the Hero Course! Her dad said she went missing on the first day of Summer Break. That has no involvement with the villain invasion on us! They attacked us days later!" Midoriya continued to spit out one excuse after the other, hoping to find enough to dispute what everyone was thinking.

"Midoriya! Get a hold of yourself!" Todoroki shouted as he grabbed his shoulder to shake him out of it. At the touch, Midoriya realized he had been shivering, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Let's try to think about this calmly. She's been missing for almost a week, and the timing is too close to think that it's just a coincidence. Worst case scenario, the League of Villains also kidnapped Sasaki." The entire room tensed.

Midoriya started shaking again. "But why?" He whispered.

Tsuyu spoke up, her index finger placed against her lip in thought. "If their target was Bakugou the whole time, maybe they thought Aya-chan would be a good addition as well. We all saw her calm him down at the awards ceremony of the Sports Festival."

Tokoyami agreed, having seen the altercation firsthand since he was on the third-place podium with her. "Perhaps they thought she could placate the beast within him, or use her as a bargaining chip."

Mina chimed in. "Yeah! For someone as crazy as Bakugou, you'd think someone who could calm him down would be somebody just as scary!"

Many of the others seemed to accept this, but Todoroki and Iida seemed like they had other thoughts. "Iida-kun? Do you know something?" Uraraka asked him when she saw how furrowed his brows were.

He hesitated, afraid that if he said his thoughts aloud, they would come true. "...I hope this is not the case but...there could be a chance that they intend to use her for her skills."

Uraraka gasped. "You mean making support items for them?!"

Midoriya shouted, "Aya-chan would never do that!"

Todoroki calmly analyzed the situation again. "She wouldn't, but they might not think that. She wasn't in USJ when they first invaded, so the Sports Festival would be the first time they saw her. She was pretty ruthless in her fight with me. They might've thought she could be swayed to their side like Bakugou. Besides, they are villains. There's no guarantee that they don't have ways of forcing her to do what they want."

Midoriya just kept shaking his head in denial. He shut his eyes as tight as he could, as if to shut out all the thoughts from his mind.

"Midoriya! Think! Was there anything you saw on the villains that could've been something Sasaki made?" Todoroki shouted, but the green-haired boy was nearly growling, trying to shut everything out.

He didn't want to think about this. He knew that the more he thought about it, the more it would come true. The more likely it would be.

He tried as hard as he could to shut it out, but he was seeing flashes of the night of the attack. Of all the villains he saw and of his fights.

Midoriya's eyes shot open as his skin turned a color very similar to his clean, white hospital sheets. "D-Deku-kun...?" Uraraka probed.

"...The girl..." He whispered. Both Uraraka's and Tsuyu's eyes widened, knowing immediately who he was referring to.

"She said her name was Toga. Unless there were other female villains, she's the only one he could be talking about. She kept wanting to suck the blood out of us." Tsuyu surmised.

"...Her weapons...The needles..." Midoriya muttered. It was Kirishima's turn to grow pale.

" _That's so cool! His quirk deals with his blood, right? That would explain all the needles and stuff." He said as he pointed to the design. There was an array of canisters attached with wires, presumably where the blood would flow through._

At Todoroki's questioning look, Kirishima explained. "I-I think I know what he's talking about. I once saw one of her drawings. She said she was making a support item for Vlad King and since his quirk deals with his blood, she had a bunch of designs with needles and canisters to store his blood."

"Midoriya! Is this true?" Todoroki questioned, but the boy was already long gone.

He was fully hyperventilating now, the weight of all these revelations setting in.

He had failed to save not one friend, but two.

The hospital heard a feral scream of pain and sorrow.


	33. Chapter 33

_Back to the First Day of Summer Break_

Ayano groaned, finally waking. There was a piercing ache in her head, a sharp ringing accompanying it.

She reached to touch the spot of pain, feeling a warm liquid as well as a thin layer of crust. The wound on her head was still bleeding but the initial blood had already dried as it dripped down the side of her face.

She examined the rest of her body for injuries. Feeling a soreness around her torso, she tried lifting her shirt. She gasped in pain, having immense difficulty moving so much.

Eventually, she was able to ever-so-slowly lift her shirt to see the damage. The entire right side of her torso had been blotched with bruises, her skin exhibiting a deep purple tone. There were splashes of red here and there.

She let her shirt drift back down. There was definitely a broken rib or two. Probably some internal bleeding as well.

Luckily, her fingers were mostly unharmed. She sighed with relief. Despite what they had been through, she valued her hands much like a surgeon would. They were nearly everything to an inventor like her.

Aside from some other large cuts and bruises around her body, it seemed like her torso held the greatest extent of damage. Although, it was growing more and more difficult staying conscious with the constant pain and excessive blood loss.

There was no time for weakness though. She was attacked by the League of Villains while in the Development Studio of U.A. and taken to an unknown location. She needed to analyze her surroundings to figure out where she could possibly be. And what of Fujiyoshi Yuudai? He had left the studio just before the villains arrived.

Ayano slowly shifted her head around, taking great care in trying not to agitate her wounds. She seemed to be in some type of warehouse, technology and metals surrounding her. Large pipes crawled along the walls and ceilings, big bins littered the floor, and the sounds of whirring machines echoed.

Sensing someone's presence, she swiveled her head to see them, wincing from her head wound.

"Ohhh, you're awake. Good. I didn't want to wait any longer for you."

Ayano recognized him as the hooded man from the mall. The leader of the League of Villains. Shigaraki Tomura.

He was followed by a few other villains, the only recognizable one being the one with the warping powers. Ayano made a quick mental note of the faces of the unfamiliar villains. Some were not the same ones who came to attack her at U.A.

"Now, now. There's no need for that." Shigaraki said in response to her glaring. He treated her like a child yet, he spoke like one. She disobeyed him.

"Stop that. I really don't like that look." His tone getting a little darker.

"Where is Fujiyoshi Yuudai?" She demanded, her glare intensifying.

Shigaraki backpedaled at that. "Heh, what are you, a hero? Why don't you worry about yourself first!" He lunged at her, his hand wrapping around her neck with only four fingers touching skin.

Ayano hadn't even flinched, her glare never diminishing. Shigaraki clicked his tongue, completely dissatisfied with her reaction. "Che...You're no fun."

"If you wanted to kill me, you would have done so much sooner." She explained.

Shigaraki clicked his tongue again. "Well, you're right about that, but people should still get at least a little scared. It's no fun when they don't."

Ayano was beginning to wonder if that blood lust and conviction she saw at the mall was just fleeting. Was he doing this just for sport? How ridiculous.

"But I shouldn't be so rude to our guest." Ayano gave a short laugh at that. "You call someone you severely injured and kidnapped a guest?"

"Well, if you hadn't resisted so much, then maybe it would've been more pleasant." Another villain spoke up. He had black, spiky hair that loomed over his turquoise eyes. Parts of his body held patches of wrinkled, purple skin. A color quite close to the shade of Ayano's large bruises forming on her torso.

Before she could respond, Kurogiri intervened. "We apologize for our rough handling of the situation, but we thought you might not agree to speak with us civilly under different circumstances. Of course, you might not do so now but your wounds prevent you from acting out."

He was right about that. Ayano was in no condition to fight back. Whatever they wanted from her, she'd have to listen. Besides, any information she could get would be useful.

"So, what do you want? I highly doubt you brought me here for some tea party." She remarked sarcastically. Shigaraki opened his arms to each side of him, as if putting himself and the other villains on display. "Sasaki Ayano, won't you join our party of villains?"

"I refuse." She immediately responded, not even wasting a millisecond. A brief, somewhat awkward, silence followed. Shigaraki's arms slowly fell to his side. With a severed hand directly latched onto his face, Ayano couldn't see his expression but she was sure it probably didn't look too happy.

"Come on, now. Don't you think this society values and praises heroes too much? Violence is looked down upon, but when the 'heroes' use it in the name of justice, they're applauded. How is that fair? All they care about is fame and fortune, turning a blind eye to those really in need. You must feel the same way. You were pretty ruthless during the Sports Festival, and those weapons you make are dangerous to boot."

She narrowed her eyes. "I acted that way to prove a point. If you took that sign of aggression as me displaying my villainous inner self, you are sorely mistaken. Also, I do not make weapons. I make support items."

Shigaraki laughed. "Support items? Those are weapons! No way around that. Do you think you're some self-righteous person by saying 'support item' instead of weapon? Support items hurt people. Heroes use them to hurt people. They're weapons."

"I wholeheartedly disagree. With our clashing beliefs, I do not think I would be a suitable member of your organization." Ayano was faintly reminded of her first few conversations with Fujiyoshi. Shigaraki sighed in annoyance.

"You and that Fiji-kid or whatever sure are different." The man with purple patches of skin remarked.

"What have you done with Fujiyoshi Yuudai." Ayano asked, getting back to her first question. The man smirked. "We didn't do anything to him. He turned you in allllll on his own."

Her eye twitched. "Ridiculous. You honestly think I would believe such a blatant lie?" The man shrugged his shoulders and shook his head nonchalantly. "Believe what you want. I'm just telling the truth. How do you think we knew you were going to be at U.A. at exactly that time and how do you think we knew you were going to be alone?"

Ayano processed the information for a moment before responding. "That has no bearing on his will. I am certain that you must hold something against him, if he even did do the things you are suggesting."

The man smirked again, chuckling. "You're really grasping at strings here, you know. You've got some faith in a guy you said you don't like."

"I may dislike him, but that does not mean I cannot have rational judgments. Fujiyoshi Yuudai is not the kind of boy you say he is." She responded with a small bite to her words.

He was about to offer another retort when Shigaraki interrupted. He began scratching at his neck. "This is annoying. Clearly, this isn't going to work. I was trying to play nice too."

"I want you to build us some weapons. For our attack on those cheeky, budding, heroes. Thanks for letting us know their location by the way." He laughed, waiting to see her reaction but not getting one. At least, not the one he wanted.

Somehow, she kept it all together. On the inside, she was screaming. Deeply regretting forcing Midoriya to take the tracking device. Even she was slightly surprised that she hadn't paled or given any other indication of her shock.

"What makes you think that I would help you, given my earlier iron-willed refusal to join you?" She asked decisively after she was sure that her voice wouldn't shake.

Shigaraki walked dangerously close to her. In her condition, Ayano was only able to remain sitting on the ground. "I think you're forgetting that we're villains here. We have ways of forcing you."

She raised a single eyebrow, challenging him. Shigaraki dug into his back pocket, producing two photos. They were candid photos of her parents going about their daily lives. Once again, Ayano took great care in not letting her emotions reveal themselves. She called his bluff.

"Quite the clever scheme you have devised. Though, not clever enough it seems. In his line of work, my father deals with pro heroes every day. He is surrounded by them, and had he chosen another path in life, he easily could have become one himself. You could not touch him even if you wanted to."

"If you did any research on my mother, you would have learned that it would be even more dangerous trying to touch her than my father. She is even scarier than he is."

Shigaraki just stood motionless, the photos still held up in his dry skinned hand. His arm slowly fell, a click of his tongue sounding throughout the warehouse. This time, it was much louder and more distinct, revealing just how annoyed he was getting.

Ayano smirked at him, adding fuel to the fire. He started scratching at his neck again. "Kurogiri." He ordered. The man of black mist complied with Shigaraki's unspoken command, using his quirk to disappear.

He reappeared with a young girl who seemed to be unconscious. She had pale blonde hair, put into two messy buns with strands of her hair sticking out in all directions and a fringe framing her face.

The man with patches of purple skin walked over to the unconscious girl, flipping open a knife and twirling it around.

Tilting his head, Shigaraki addressed Ayano. "I think you understand where this is going. You like to give off the sense that you're heartless but you're not. I'm pretty sure you'll agree once we cut up an innocent girl's pretty face, right?"

Ayano's poker face, once again, didn't betray her. "For someone in charge of the League of Villains, you are awfully terrible at making your lies believable." Honestly, Ayano had no idea if this was another bluff or not. Of course, she would never endanger an innocent civilian's life like this but she couldn't let them know that.

She was just stalling for time, hoping to find something about the unconscious girl that would prove that all of this was a ruse. Her mind was racing and she could feel her heartbeat quickening.

The man with purple skin chuckled. "You think this is a joke? Man, I really thought this would've convinced you."

"That girl is not unconscious. She is playing possum. Her breathing is just the slightest bit off from being completely regular, meaning she is not in deep sleep. This leads me to believe that she is just another villain." Ayano articulated.

The man shrugged. "Hey, whatever you say. Her life is in your hands right now." He tightly gripped the knife, aimed for the girl's face, and swung down his arm.

Just before the tip of the knife was plunged between her eyes, the girl grabbed his wrist. In one fluid motion, she pulled out another knife and swung it upwards at his throat. Just as she did, the man grabbed her wrist, the knife stopping a hair's breadth away from his Adam's apple. The two of them were frozen in that position, gauging the other with the knives mere centimeters away from the both of them.

"Heyyyy! You were really about to do it just now, weren't you!" She accused. The man smirked and shrugged casually. "I was just playing the part. Had to make it believable. Besides, it's not like we couldn't just find another villain to take your place."

The girl ignored him, prancing toward Ayano with a wide smile. "Hey there, Aya-chan! My name is Toga! I can call you Aya-chan, right? I'm gonna call you Aya-chan! Good job in figuring out our trick! I even said you wouldn't fall for it. A girl's intuition you know? Let's be friends! You look super pretty with all that blood covering you! Can I have some?"

Ayano regarded her with careful eyes. She decided that it would be best not to respond to Toga's twisted idea of friendship. She simply turned her head to look at Shigaraki with her impassive face, as if to challenge him to use another unsuccessful trick up his sleeve.

Although internally, Ayano sighed with immense relief.

Shigaraki growled, finally having enough of these shenanigans. His nails were breaking through the skin on his neck, small trickles of blood flowing down his throat. "Everyone get out."

"Shigaraki Tomura—" Kurogiri began to protest but Shigaraki interrupted him. "I won't do anything that serious. After all, she's our...precious pawn…" His face was covered by a severed hand, but Ayano could just feel his manic smile behind it.

Kurogiri remained for a few moments, trying to decide whether or not Shigaraki really meant what he said. After some thinking, he used his quirk and opened up a portal.

"Awww! I wanted to join in the fun! No fair!" Toga verbally protested, but went through the portal nonetheless. The man with purple skin silently followed, looking back once before disappearing.


	34. Chapter 34

How long had it been? How much time had passed? How much longer are they going to keep her there?

With no windows or natural light, her construct of time seemed trivial.

Ayano had drifted in and out of consciousness more times than she could count. Forcing herself to stay awake, but ultimately succumbing to the sweet relief of darkness. Every time she awoke, a new wave of pain presented itself.

Since she had been kidnapped and brought to the warehouse, she had amassed several more broken bones, numerous burn marks, new cuts, bruises, and scars.

Her energy was already at its last resources, having no food or water to replenish her life force.

In retrospect, Ayano probably should have behaved differently to ensure her own safety to an extent but she didn't regret a single thing.

Throughout the torture, she hadn't uttered a single sound of discomfort. No yells, no shouts, no grunts, no cries. It was the most difficult endeavor she had ever embarked on, her lips covered with dry blood from her biting into and breaking the skin to keep from shouting. It was lucky that she hadn't bitten off her tongue by now. She wasn't even sure how she managed to pull through it all. Probably the adrenaline.

It might have been a foolish thing to do, but she would sooner kill herself before giving them the pleasure of hearing her scream.

They could do whatever they wanted to her.

In fact, she was so determined not to show them weakness that in their last visit, she had laughed in their faces. With each punch, each kick, each cut, Ayano laughed harder, goading them. Not only that, but it also had probably helped to keep her mind off of the pain.

It was because of this insubordination that Ayano was currently hanging, suspended from the ceiling. A thick rope was looped around her neck, the coarseness digging into her skin.

Her body had been raised just barely enough that she wouldn't be hung to death, the tips of her toes scraping against the floor here and there as her body lightly swung from her efforts in trying to get her feet to fully touch the ground.

Her throat was burning, air circulation becoming increasingly scarce. Drops of blood fell to the floor as her wrists behind her bled. The rope around them cut into the skin as she futilely tried setting her hands free.

She was in **agony**.

Ayano had welcomed darkness repeatedly to escape the pain, but she couldn't this time. If she did, there was a good chance that the darkness would become eternal.

Suddenly, the rope was cut from a thrown knife. Her body crumpled to the ground. Her mind was incredibly foggy, but she faintly heard a crunching sound as her body made contact with the concrete.

Amazingly, she managed to hold it together, preventing a scream of pain from being released. Even if she had tried, she doubted any sound would come through, given how dry her throat was.

The loop of the noose was still wrapped tightly around her neck, but it was far better than before.

"Rise and shine, sweetheart." She heard a dull voice say.

Rise and shine? Was it morning? Which morning? How many mornings had passed?

Ayano didn't even have the energy to raise her head to look at the man. Her body simply laid there, motionless. She felt several footsteps nearing her body.

"Ohhh! You poor thing! Here, let me get that for you!" Toga exclaimed. Ayano felt immediate relief as the rope was cut, air finally flowing properly. The knife had actually nicked her throat in the process, but it was such a small feeling compared to what they had already put her through that Ayano barely even noticed.

"You have such pretty blood, Aya-chan!" Before Toga could do anything more to her, the man pulled on the back of the girl's uniform collar. "That's not what we're here to do." He chastised.

Toga frowned. "You never let me have fun, Dabi!"

So his name was Dabi. Ayano made another mental note.

"Do anything more to her and she won't last another day." Dabi responded, although he made it seem more like a chore than a concern.

Another day!? You mean she'd been here for only a day?! Her concept of time was completely ruined with their torture sessions. It felt like she had been there for days, maybe even a week.

She heard the wispy sound of a portal being opened. Shigaraki Tomura stepped through with her school bag in his hands. "Still not being cooperative?" He asked but didn't receive an answer as expected.

"Well, not like it matters. We looked into your bag and your laptop. There are tons of your designs here that we could use." He pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag. It was one of the prototype designs for Vlad King's support item.

He knelt down to show her. "This one is pretty neat. For the pro hero Vlad King, huh? I think this weapon would suit one our own much better though."

Toga giggled. "If we made that, I could get tonsss of blood easily! Suck, suck, suck!"

Shigaraki ignored her, continuing. "So you see, you've provided us with detailed enough designs that we could just make these weapons ourselves."

"So kill me then." Was that her voice? Ayano barely even recognized it with how raspy it was.

Shigaraki laughed. "What's that? Begging for us to kill you?"

"Not begging." Ayano slowly responded. She couldn't speak any faster with all this pain. "You can make them on your own. You just said it yourself. There is no need for me to be here...Unless, of course...you _do_ need me..."

Her cheek was pressed against the cold floor and she didn't have the energy to lift her head to look at their faces, but Ayano was sure that the scene would have been priceless.

"Oh, silence...So, you _do_ need me for something more..." She gave a dry laugh. "Good to know."

Half of this was just to provoke and annoy them, but it really was good news to hear. She would have more time to live and figure out how to escape. Her laughter echoed.

It was abruptly stopped when she felt a foot stomping into her ribs, a sickening crack following. She managed to stifle her scream, annoying Shigaraki even more as he stomped on her repeatedly.

Her mind faded into darkness again.

* * *

The next time she woke up, Ayano noticed that she had not been moved.

She then felt the presence of other people. Through blurry vision, she saw a couple of villains at a counter. They were working on something, presumably building one of her designs.

She was not moved from her spot on the floor, but it seemed somebody had bandaged her wounds and cleaned all the blood while she was unconscious.

Ayano assumed that some time had passed, since she felt like she now had much more range of motion. She sat up, the process very slow and gradual to avoid agitating her wounds.

Some of the villains glanced in her direction but made no move to stop her. With her injuries and her hands tied behind her back, they had no fear of her trying anything.

Ayano carefully analyzed each and every one of them. Memorizing their faces, making note of any distinctive features. She then looked at the machines that they were tampering with, vaguely recognizing them to be some of her designs.

"You're doing it wrong." She said quietly, unable to make her voice any louder. The villains continued working, ignoring her.

"You do not have to listen to me. I mean, why would you? Those are just my designs you are using." The sarcasm dripped from her voice. "You may be villains but, as an inventor, I would still be concerned if one of my creations malfunctioned and killed the user."

The villains froze, looking at each other and trying to decide if she was speaking the truth. "Why would we listen to you? You're obviously not on our side. How do we know you're not just trying to trick us?"

Ayano laughed. "You are correct. I am not on your side. So, would I not just let you continue on your way? Think about it. If I want you all dead, why would I warn you that you are making the weapon wrong. It would be better for me to just let you continue and let you blow yourselves up."

The villains looked at each other again, beginning to build up a nervous sweat. "Y-You're just saying that! This is some sort of trick."

"You are free to believe what you want. You can use it right now if you wish, but don't say that I did not warn you." She provoked them.

The villain accepted her challenge, strapping on the weapon and aiming it. Unfortunately, her words held more weight than he thought. The man's hands were shaking, hesitating to fire. His forehead was greased with sweat. His friend looked at him, nearly pleading with his eyes.

The villain released a breath, his arm falling back to his side. He breathed heavily, trying to calm his sporadic heartbeat. "W-What...What's wrong with it...?" He finally asked.

Ayano smirked, thinking to herself. " _Idiot._ "

* * *

The naive villains had followed every word of her advice, never coming even close to figuring out her true intentions. Of course, they had questioned her seemingly sudden change of heart, but Ayano had persuaded them.

She explained that they did not need her to make these weapons, just as Shigaraki had said. In other words, whether she helped or not did not matter. They would make these weapons regardless of her involvement.

They then asked her why she warned them about the 'malfunctioning' weapon the first time then if she felt like this. She tricked them into believing that was the only design they built with mistakes. She told them that her other designs were far easier to make, so they would surely be able to create them with or without her help. If that were the case, it would be better to prove to them that she could be useful so that she wouldn't be killed so soon. Make them think that she was valuable and still had some use.

Her confidence and silver tongue made them believe her nearly instantly.

It truly pained her to be working for the villains, but it would be a necessary sacrifice.

Phase one of her plan was complete.

However, she worked in secret. The villains in charge of making the weapons were ordered not to interact with her. Meaning, she was not to be involved in all this.

But that also meant that they were lesser villains. Lower in the chain of command and not entirely aware of their leader's plans. She used this to her advantage in order to persuade them into believing her words.

Shigaraki and other villains would come by from time to time for another torture session, thinking that Ayano was still refusing to design weapons for them.

The villains working in the warehouse never ratted her out, in fear of facing the wrath of Shigaraki for disobeying orders.

* * *

More days went by with Ayano getting tortured both physically and mentally. She still had no idea how much time had passed, always going in and out of consciousness.

Finally, one day appeared to be different.

Ayano was laying on the floor, as per usual. Her energy levels depleted after being beaten nearly to death once again. She heard a portal opening and she was whisked away to another location.

After she was transported, she felt her body and face pressing against smooth, hardwood floors. Her nose caught the faint scent of alcohol.

"Maybe this will change your mind?" She heard Shigaraki's voice.

She felt someone walk up behind her and grab a handful of her hair. Pulling back on the strands, they forced her head up, making her take in the view in front of her.

" _No...No! Why is_ _ **he**_ _here?!_ "


	35. Chapter 35

" _No…No! Why is_ _ **she**_ _here?!_ "

He was slightly sweating from before, but now he was full-on sweating.

Right there before his eyes was Sasaki Ayano.

Wait…was that _really_ Ayano? He could just barely make out her features through all the blood and grime.

His eyes darted all over her figure, travelling from her blackened and bruised legs to her rope-burned neck. To the scars and burns winding all around her legs and arms. To her tattered uniform covered in dry blood. To her equally bloody wrists behind her back. To her misshapen, broken nose. To her cracked lips.

To the shocked, blood-shot eyes watching him.

Never before had he felt such rage brewing within him. He was barely even thinking straight, twitching when Shigaraki spoke again. "Maybe this will change your mind?"

Dabi was holding a fistful of Ayano's hair, forcefully pulling on it to lift her head. Shigaraki walked closer to the two as he spoke. "The press hasn't even realized that she's gone missing for a week now. The U.A. press conference…they're not addressing it either."

He turned to Bakugou. "Don't you think that's messed up? Another one of their students is missing during this critical time and they're not even doing anything about it? I guess if it's not about one of their precious, budding heroes, then they don't care."

His laughter grated Bakugou's ears. "And she has so much talent too. It's such a waste. If only she had a quirk. They and society threw her away without even giving her a chance." Shigaraki knelt down to the floor, his hand grasping her chin, only four fingers touching skin. "But we, the League of Villains, recognizes her talent. We've taken her in. We won't abandon people like her…not like the heroes would. You see how U.A, the heroes, have treated her? Maybe you'll change your mind about joining us."

"…of her…" Shigaraki just barely caught the end of the boy's sentence. He titled his head in question. "What was that?" He asked.

" **Get your filthy hands off of her before I blow you all to hell.** "

The entire room stilled at his words. His eyes burned with a ferociousness that was infinitely greater than what any of them had seen from him at the Sports Festival.

His quirk was popping all over the palms of his hands, growing louder and more frequent as the seconds passed with some of the villains growing nervous.

Before any of them could respond, Shigaraki yelped in pain. Ayano had bit his fingers, chomping hard enough to draw blood before getting her head smashed into the floor by Dabi.

Bakugou gave one of his maniacal smirks, fully bearing his teeth. He nearly laughed when he saw her clear defiance, but grew even angrier at seeing her hurt in front of him.

" **Just so you know…Technically, I've still got permission to fight back!** " He shouted, fully intent on using that privilege.

A villain, masked and dressed formally, exasperatedly asked, "If that's your attitude, and if you care about her this much, then why not just pretend that we'd won you over? I don't understand."

"If I'm not feeling something, I ain't gonna lie about it. I'm not in the mood to hang around this boring dump for much longer, and I'm taking her with me." Bakugou responded, raising his hands to prepare for a fight.

The villains and Bakugou continued to have a back-and-forth squabble before being interrupted by a knock and a steady voice. "Hello. Kamino Pizza delivery."

The brick wall was completely smashed through by All Might, Ayano trying her best to roll away from the trajectory of the debris but found it quite difficult in her current condition.

A muscular hand gently wrapped around her waist, lifting her up. She found the strength to look up and met the eyes of Junk Master. "…Teacher…" She quietly acknowledged, her body leaning into his for support. The man simply nodded at her, too enraged to speak.

Just when she thought the tables had turned, Ayano felt her throat burning. A black goo rose from inside her and encompassed her entire body. In the very next moment, she was transferred to another place.

She coughed desperately, trying to rid herself of the black slime as Bakugou appeared next to her in the same fashion. "Apologies…Bakugou, Sasaki." Ayano felt shivers go down her back. This villain was clearly different from the rest.

She realized just how different when he repelled All Might with his bare hands. They continued to fight as the other villains closed in on both Bakugou and Ayano.

" _My legs…they feel so heavy._ " Ayano thought as she frantically tried fighting off the villains with Bakugou's help.

There was no time for weakness.

She knew that, as long as her and Bakugou were there, All Might would never be able to fight to his fullest.

Even so, the task was much harder said than done. She was most definitely not fit to fight. The villains were just as frantic, just as desperate. "Bakugou…please…buy me even just a second of time."

The blond had no time to ask for what. He simply covered for her openings. Believed in her. Trusted her.

With one hand trying to fight off the opponents, Ayano shoved her other hand down her throat to activate her gag reflex.

She regurgitated only bile since she was not fed while in captivity. Along with the bile, she produced several small disks, each no larger than a quarter. They were activated, glowing red and flying through the air.

They attached themselves to various parts of the villains' costumes and weapons, exploding upon impact. The very same parts and weapons that Ayano had designed, had helped to make. The villains were blown back, some even knocked unconscious.

It was the ultimate distraction.

All Might was able to land a clean hit on All For One and it gave Midoriya, Kirishima, and Iida the perfect moment to rescue Ayano and Bakugou.

"BAKUGOU! TAKE MY HAND!" The red-head called out. Bakugou immediately grabbed Ayano around her waist, causing her to shout in pain. Having to act quickly, he applied too much pressure to her broken ribs. He frowned upon hearing her shouts, but there was no time to hesitate. Using his quirk, they flew into the air and latched onto the trio.

"To think she still had a trick like that up her sleeve." All For One remarked, using one of his quirks to forcefully activate one of the villain's quirks.

With All Might keeping him busy, the students managed to escape. They ran to the station, Ayano resting one arm over Bakugou's shoulder and being supported by him. He still hadn't spoken to her, trying to calm his rage.

How long had she been in that place? What had they done to her?

Unfortunately, he had no time to think about that with everyone's attention on the big screen, live broadcasting the battle between All Might and All For One.

All Might's skinny, true form was put on display for everyone, casting a shadow of doubt in all their hearts. Panic settled in.

"All Might…" "Whoa, he can't really be that—?!"

"No…No, I can't bear seeing him like this!" "All Might!"

"If _you_ can't beat him, then who the hell can…?"

"Forget how he _looks_ , he's still _All Might_ , isn't he?!"

"He _**always**_ comes and saves the day somehow!" "Come on, All Might! You can do it!" "Don't give in, All Might!"

Ayano looked all around her. She observed the fear in every civilians' eyes, listening to their pleas for All Might's victory.

She looked at the two faces of her childhood friends. The desperation in their eyes put more fear into her than anything else today.

To her, All Might wasn't just everyone's Symbol Of Peace.

He was _their_ Symbol Of Peace.

He was the reason why she became what she is today. Why she wanted to make support items for true heroes.

Her childhood friends, the two boys most important to her, admired him. They looked up to him since the beginning. He inspired them, drove them to pursue their dreams.

He was the very reason why all three of their paths crossed.

If even her two friends were losing hope…

The fear and panic broke through even Ayano's ultimate poker face, as she shouted with the two boys.

" **WIN! ALL MIGHT!** "

The actual battle probably lasted only a few minutes, but to Ayano, Bakugou, and Midoriya, it felt like an eternity. Never knowing when it would end. Never knowing how it would end. Never knowing who could slip up even the slightest bit.

Ayano finally let out the breath she had been holding when All For One laid completely still on the ground, All Might standing above him in his true form all bloodied and ragged.

Everyone cheered for joy, thankful that this ultimate enemy was vanquished.

On the screen, All Might lifted his finger and pointed at the camera.

" **You're next.** "

It was over.

Not the fight. Something else was over. Ayano felt it in her bones.

That statement…Those words…They didn't mean what everyone thought they meant.

It wasn't a promise to all villains. It was an end.

The end of the Symbol Of Peace.

Ayano stared at Midoriya's crying profile, thinking to herself. " _…But with every end, there is a new beginning."_

Still propped up by Bakugou's shoulders, she peered at his face. His calm and quiet demeanor was unsettling, instilling a new kind of fear in her.

One that she hoped she wouldn't have to face too soon.

* * *

The two of them were handed to the police for investigation and questioning, along with possible need for medical help. Seeing the live broadcasting, Ayano's parents had rushed over to Kamino where it all went down.

Upon seeing her with Bakugou and the police, completely alive, Sasaki Asuka collapsed to her knees with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"…Mother…" Ayano gently called. Her father silently helped his wife up, pulling her towards their daughter.

They latched onto their daughter, tightly wrapping their arms around her as if she would go missing again if they let go. "…Ayano…Ayano!" Her mother called her name repeatedly, as if to ensure that the girl was really here. Her father comfortingly rubbed his hands on their backs, his own tears falling atop their heads.

"Mother…Father…" The words barely getting out from Ayano. She had wanted to apologize for worrying them so much, but the relief of seeing them safe and the relief of knowing everything was all over caused her to lose the last bit of consciousness she had.

Collapsing in their arms, her parents rushed to support her weight. Finally noticing just how damaged her daughter was and how shallowly she was breathing, Asuka panicked.

"Ayano!? Ayano! Ayano! Honey! You have to stay awake! **AYANO**!"


	36. Chapter 36

"Todoroki. Kirishima. Midoriya. Yaoyorozu. Iida. On that night, you five headed to _that place_ to rescue Bakugou." Aizawa's words drew shocked expressions from all of their classmates.

"Judging by your reactions, you all knew full well that they intended to do so. Up until now, I've been shelving things left and right, but let me say this clearly: Had All Might not been forced to retire…save for Bakugou, Jirou, and Hagakure, **I would have expelled every single one of you**."

Everyone grew more tense as many of them bit their lips in discomfort. "I'd be grateful if you restore that trust by going through the proper channels of becoming a hero _legally_. That is all! Now let's go inside with a spring in your step." Their homeroom teacher finished. Although, with a lecture like that, it wasn't really possible to fulfill his last request.

Despite the nearly unbearable atmosphere, Midoriya had to address something. "A-Aizawa-sensei!" The boy called out, causing the man to stop. He simply turned his head enough to look at his student.

"A-Aya-chan…what's her condition?" Bakugou's shoulders stiffened, wanting very much to know the answer to that as well.

Neither of them had seen her since the big battle at Kamino. Bakugou had last seen her in the embrace of her parents. She had fainted then, adding to his worries. Neither of the boys were able to get into contact with her or her parents. Even when they each went to the hospital, her room was completely isolated and barred from visitors. Doctors and nurses refused to answer any questions, further raising their suspicions.

Aizawa fully turned around, feeling that Midoriya had the right to know about his childhood friend. "Sasaki Ayano is…" The green-haired boy gulped, mentally preparing himself for the ensuing answer.

"…in perfectly fine physical condition." Midoriya released a great sigh of relief, gulping down air to help calm himself. Bakugou had also relaxed, the stiffness in his shoulders lessening but not completely gone.

"She still has some scratches here and there, but luckily Recovery Girl was able to prevent much scarring. In fact, her rate of recovery was incredible, even with Recovery Girl's quirk. Are you sure she doesn't have some sort of secret endurance-type quirk? Or a stamina quirk?" Midoriya shook his head as Aizawa explained.

* * *

 _A group of men entered the hospital, each of them bearing grim expressions. All Might, Aizawa, Tsukauchi, Vlad King, Principal Nezu, and Junk Master all waited patiently in the lobby. They came to check up on Ayano's condition as well as to ask her questions about her time in captivity._

 _Their heads turned towards one hallway where there was a commotion. "Sasaki-san! Please! You shouldn't be moving around yet! You need to get proper rest!" A nurse shouted, frantically trying to follow after the girl._

 _Ayano was slowly limping down the hallways, one hand against the wall for support. Her eyes were bloodshot, deep bags underneath them. Any part of her that wasn't covered by the hospital gown was covered by pristine, white bandages. In her other hand, she tightly grasped onto something._

 _The sight of his student in such a state reignited the fires within Junk Master. The rage and guilt he felt when seeing her tortured body at the League of Villains' hideout came back in full force. His eyes met the exhausted ones of his student._

"… _There is no rest for the weary." Ayano offered the simple reply to the nurse, referencing Junk Master's words from the first day of school._

 _The anger he had was still there, but died down a little after hearing her cheekiness. She was still so stubborn, even in this condition. He smirked, but quickly hid it. "Sasaki, kiddo. The nurses are right. You need to rest! Won't you listen just this once?"_

 _Recovery Girl appeared behind Ayano, looking disgruntled. "Good! You're scolding her! If you weren't going to do it, I certainly would have!" She harrumphed, steam blowing out of her ears. "As soon as she heard that you lot would be here, she bolted out of the room! I'm starting to see why you and that Midoriya are friends."_

 _Ayano bowed her head in apology. Normally, she would have done a proper bow with her whole body but her recovering wounds made that a little difficult. "My apologies. I just needed to get this information to the police as quickly as possible. I will rest afterwards. You have my word."_

" _Hmph! Well, I'm not going to praise you for reckless behavior but at least your heart is in the right place. Next time, I'm strapping you to the hospital bed!" Recovery girl huffed. Ayano gave a small smile, but it soon disappeared as she addressed a more serious matter._

 _She handed a small USB flash drive to Tsukauchi. "This contains everything I experienced and everything I know about the League of Villains due to my captivity. It includes names, faces, quirks, personalities, and so on. Please keep in mind that it is largely incomplete since I was unconscious for much of my time there. I apologize for any gaps in information."_

 _Tsukauchi gaped. She did all of this!? In her condition? "N-No, it's quite alright! In fact, this is wonderful."_

 _Ayano nodded to him. "I made this in the hopes of saving both of us some time. Instead of questioning me for hours about what happened, all I know is in this flash drive. Of course, if you still wish to question me further after going through all the files, I will absolutely comply with your request."_

 _Tsukauchi smiled at her. "Thank you. We will be sure to go through this thoroughly. You really have saved us a lot of time and effort." He turned to Junk Master. "You have an amazing student, Junk Master. Especially after going through so much." The teacher was about to agree when Ayano's cold voice responded._

" _On the contrary, I believe this to be the bare minimum…" Her gaze shifted to the floor, her brows furrowing in frustration. "This is the least I could do. This cannot compare to the trouble and pain I have caused to others due to my foolishness. The pain that I caused to their families…because of the support items—_ _ **weapons**_ _—that I made." She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as her knuckles grew more and more white._

 _Junk Master firmly placed his hands on each of her shoulders, but she didn't look up at him. "Sasaki, none of this is your fault and nobody blames you. Not even one bit. Hell, you even fought them to the very end!" The man pulled out a small disk. It was one of her tracking devices. The one that she had given to Midoriya before the break. They had retrieved it after the villain invasion. Despite his phone being completely shattered, the tracking device was completely intact._

 _After finding the location of the training camp, Shigaraki had destroyed Ayano's matching device. When she was able to move and help in making the support items, she had secretly made another identical one._

" _You helped us confirm one of the bases of the villains. It matched with the tracking device that Yaoyorozu made, giving us confidence that we caught them red handed." He sighed when she still refused to look up at him. "And I know you would never fully agree to help them, even if your life depended on it. All these injuries are proof of that. Every support item you made for the villains had some sort of hidden malfunction or something that we could exploit."_

 _All Might walked up to the two. "He's right, Young Sasaki. You distracted All For One during my fight with him. You gave me the opportunity to defeat him and the opportunity to save Bakugou. If it weren't for your quick thinking and meticulous planning, there's no telling what would have happened."_

 _Aizawa joined in. "We captured that villain with the quirk that produces a toxic gas. You hid an antidote for it in his gas mask. If it weren't for that, Jirou and Hagakure would have been in much worse condition."_

 _Nezu smiled at her. "Don't you see, Sasaki-kun? Your actions have saved so many people, be it directly or indirectly. For that, we thank you." The principal bowed deeply, the rest of the adults following his example._

 _Ayano looked at each and every one of their bowed heads, conflict swirling in her eyes. "…Still, the root of many of these problems stems from my shortcomings, but…thank you." Her voice wavered a bit towards the end, worrying them._

 _Before Junk Master could question her, she bowed her head to them in return. "As promised, I will return to my room for more rest. Thank you for coming all this way to see me and my apologies." With that, she turned around to slowly limp back to her room._

 _The U.A. faculty members looked on in concern as she stumbled a few times._

* * *

"She has completely recovered and was discharged two days ago." Aizawa stated. Relief flowed through Midoriya, but a small piece of unease remained in the pit of his stomach.

"Then why the hell hasn't anybody heard from her." Bakugou's gruff voice interrupted, questioning in a way that sounded like a demand. Aizawa looked at him with a perfect poker face. "If she's as fine as you said, then there's no way in hell she wouldn't have let people know by now."

The small piece of unease in Midoriya was beginning to grow. The boy looked desperately at his homeroom teacher, hoping that Bakugou hadn't hit on something.

Aizawa spoke slowly. "All of you went through psychological testing, to ensure your mental stability before letting you come to school again." The boys nodded, remembering the testing.

"We're still putting Sasaki through that psychological testing. She was held captive for around a week and tortured immensely during that time. She's being evaluated longer to make sure that she doesn't have any trauma before returning." Bakugou grit his teeth, not having anything to say in response.

He clenched his hands, his frustration showing. Just being reminded that she was kidnapped and tortured for that long angered him. To know that she had to undergo even more psychological testing because of that…he couldn't even begin to describe his frustration.

"If everything goes well, then Junk Master should be doing his home visit to her house today." Aizawa continued, this time addressing his entire class. "Speaking of which, Sasaki will not be living in the dorms with her 1-H classmates. In light of recent events, it has been decided that she will be living here with the rest of you. It's for her safety. We would like to say that she won't be targeted again, but that is too optimistic and unrealistic. The same goes for you, Bakugou. In the event that something happens, it'll be easier for everyone if you both are in the same place."

Everyone nodded, understanding his reasoning. They all walked into the Heights Alliance dorm building as Bakugou continued to let his thoughts brew.


	37. Chapter 37

"You have been informed in advance, but us homeroom teachers are conducting these visits to personally invite you to partake in U.A.'s new boarding policy." Junk Master relayed to them, the incredibly polite and formal speech highly uncharacteristic of him.

"As for her placement in the 1-A dorm instead of the 1-H dorm…we thought it would be best to keep her and Bakugou in the same area. We can't rule out the possibility that the two of them will be targeted again, considering recent events. As such, it would be easier to protect them while they're in the dorms together."

The man looked away, as if he were uncomfortable with saying his next point. "This is also for the safety of the other students as well. If her and Bakugou will be targeted in the future…this arrangement minimizes damage. We are not completely sure of the villains' information network, but we must assume the worst-case scenario."

"Should they become aware of all the students' living arrangements, this provides a sort of countermeasure. Since she'll be living in the 1-A dorm, her classmates of 1-H will be at less risk. The villains' attacks will most likely be centering around Class 1-A and Class 1-B. Without Ayano in the 1-H dorm, there's less of a need for villains to be there. So, there's less danger for her fellow 1-H classmates."

Junk Master coughed awkwardly. "Of course, this is only if something like that happens. We're just taking extra care with this matter."

Ayano set down the four cups of steaming tea onto the wooden table as she glanced between the adults. Junk Master sat on one side of the table in a pristine suit that seemed a bit too small for him.

Her parents sat across from him. Her father stared right at the man, arms loosely crossed. Her mother had her hands in her lap, staring down at them with a face full of concern while gently biting her lip. Ayano took a seat next to her mother, lightly sipping at the tea. She had no intention of speaking up first and her father wasn't exactly the type to talk much either.

A long time passed before anyone said anything. Just as expected, Asuka broke the silence. "When Ayano told us that she was going to U.A., we were so surprised. Primarily a hero school and not a support school? It was such a shock!"

"I had fully supported her decision. Ayano was always a smart child. She knew what was best for her without mother telling her." The woman tightly gripped at her skirt, the fabric bunching in her lap. "Even so…I had my concerns. Arguably the best hero school there is? Of course, that place would attract the attention of some villains here and there. It's only natural."

"I was fine with it because I knew Ayano had no interest in becoming a hero. I knew she was going to the Support Department and that's where she would stay. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. So, I thought that she wouldn't be in much danger because, if anything, the kids in the Heroics Department would be at risk more than her. That was obviously not the case." Tears began to form in her eyes, slowly streaming down her cheeks, off her chin, and plopping onto the tops of clenched hands.

Ayano continued staring into her tea cup, her face never changing. Not even at the sound of her mother's tears.

"I thought about this so much. Since those boarding letters came in the mail. Initially, I didn't want you to take away my precious daughter. Absolutely not! Not after the school failed to protect her already! If she needs protection, then I could simply just call in a few favors and it would be fine."

The woman paused, taking out some tissues to wipe her face. "But I know what my logic-obsessed husband would say. Regardless of whether or not Ayano dorms at U.A., I can still call in those favors and have her protected my way. In that case, it would obviously be better to have U.A.'s protection _along with_ my protection. Even if you have failed before, it's still more security."

Asuka finally looked up from her lap. She glared into the eyes of Junk Master, the conviction in them very similar to the kind that he saw in Ayano. "What I'm saying is…I give you my permission. So you better damn well take care of her!"

Junk Master's eyes were wide. With the way that she started, he had completely thought that this conversation would be going in a different direction.

"You agree with me, right honey?!" The crying woman asked, or rather demanded, of her husband. He simply nodded at her, pulling her in for a comforting hug.

"Thank you, Asuka-san. Kaito-san. I will be sure to relay your message to the school…and I promise you that I will do the most that I can to protect your daughter." Junk Master stood up and bowed to convey his sincerity.

He finished his untouched tea in one large gulp and Ayano showed him out. The car was waiting for him just in front of the house. As they reached it, Junk Master turned to face his student. "You didn't say anything back there, kiddo. Any reason why?" He didn't hide the worry in his voice. She had passed every physical and psychological test, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something could still be wrong.

Ayano's face was perfectly impassive. "I have worried my parents far enough. Whatever decision they settled on would be the one that I follow."

She looked down. "Although…it may not even matter in the end." She mumbled, but Junk Master clearly heard it. He was about to question her when she said, "Please have a safe trip."

With that, she bowed and began walking back into her house. He really wanted to ask her what she meant but with her clearly ending the conversation, he ultimately didn't.

He should have.

* * *

It was the evening, and most of the Class 1-A students were hanging around in the lounge when they heard the slamming of a car door. They all rushed to the window, confirming their suspicions that it was Ayano finally arriving at the dorms.

They ran out, Midoriya being the first to reach her with unshed tears welling up in his eyes. "Aya-chan! I'm so glad you're okay!" He was about to hug her when he noticed the white bandages peeking out from her shirt collar and sleeves. His smile immediately disappeared. "Are you still injured?"

The girl shook her head, taking out her luggage from the trunk of the car. "I have almost completely recovered. The bandages are mostly just a precautionary measure. Mainly to restrict my movement to prevent me from doing something foolish."

Hagakure bounced up to the girl. "Aya-chan, you sure don't have much stuff!" She commented, noticing that all the girl took out of the car was a regular duffle bag. The bag also didn't even seem that stuffed.

"I was never one for material possessions." Ayano plainly responded, causing Mina to laugh. "You're a minimalist just like Shouji-kun then!" The pink girl exclaimed.

That much was true, but Bakugou felt something off. Even for Ayano, that duffle bag didn't seem nearly enough. She surely would have brought tons of her inventions and tools. His brows furrowed, thinking deeply on it.

"Anyways! You're on the same floor as me and Ochako-chan, and next door to me!" Mina excitedly revealed. Ayano just nodded in acknowledgement, unintentionally putting a damper on Mina's enthusiasm.

The expressionless girl walked inside, ready to unpack what little she had. "U-Umm…! Aya-chan!" Midoriya's shout stopped her. "You're okay…right?" He timidly asked.

"Yes." She responded and continued walking. Although, there was one problem.

When she answered, Ayano had looked forward and not at him.

He wanted to ask again, but didn't because she had already swiftly entered the building.

He should have.

* * *

Ayano had quickly finished unpacking, being efficient with her time as well as having very little to unpack.

She sat at her desk, one of her inventions laid out before her. She stared at it for many minutes, not moving a single inch.

Her mind was racing, thinking about a swarm of things. Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand.

Moving it forward with the intention of touching the machine, her hand started shaking. Her breathing grew more erratic. Beads of sweat started dripping from her temples.

She tightly shut her eyes, unable to stand it anymore.

She swept her hand across the desk, throwing everything off of it.

* * *

Bakugou stood outside of Ayano's room with his regular, slightly hunched stance and hands stuffed into his pockets. His brows were furrowed as he glared at the door. In his mind, he was going over what he could possibly say to her.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing sound coming from within. The boy knocked furiously on her door, the anxiety bubbling in him. "Hey! What happened?! Open up, damn it!"

The door flung open, revealing a seemingly normal Ayano. "Will you cease your incessant knocking." She asked in a way that sounded like a demand.

There was something wrong though.

Her words didn't have their usual bite to them.

In fact, she sounded almost…exhausted.

Bakugou's frown deepened. Looking over her shoulder, he could see the cause of the sounds. One of her inventions was on the ground, pieces of it flung about. It looked like it had shattered when it came into contact with the floor. "What happened?" He questioned again.

"Just a minor technical difficulty." Ayano responded immediately. It looked anything _but_ minor, Bakugou argued in his head. It didn't look like the machine malfunctioned. It looked like it was intentionally thrown to the ground.

No sound had come from the room prior to the crash. He didn't hear her working. He didn't hear anything that could've been wrong with the invention. It was just the crash.

It didn't look like it was faulty. It looked like it was purposely _broken_.

Bakugou stared into her eyes. They were blank, giving him no indication of her real feelings. To any other person, this would have been fine.

But Bakugou wasn't just any other person.

He _knew_ something was wrong. Everything today pointed to it. He could feel it in his gut. He just couldn't figure out what.

"If you have nothing more to say, I would like to get back to working." Ayano said as she quickly shut the door on him.

She leaned her back against the closed door, letting out a shaky breath. She closed her eyes as she slid to the floor, elbows propped up on her knees and head in her hands.

The blond grit his teeth, the frustration getting to him again. He raised his fist, debating on whether or not to knock again. Not knowing exactly what he could say, he ultimately decided not to.

He should have.

* * *

The next day, everyone attended their first class since all of the incidents. Ayano went through her day largely in a daze. Everything seemed so far from her and her thoughts were on anything but school.

Outwardly, she showed no signs of this. In fact, everyone was none the wiser. They only realized after the fact.

After lunch, Class 1-H was tasked with their first assignment since coming back. Something or another about creating a particular support item. Ayano wasn't paying much attention.

The next thing she knew, they were all in the Development Studio. She was at her normal station with her normal tools and her normal materials.

Everyone was moving around her in a blur. Her eyes darted all across the work bench, flitting to one metal to the next. She was hyperaware of the machines in front of her. She vaguely recognized them to be things she's made before. Yet, they seemed so foreign at the same time.

Just like last night, her body began to shake. Her breathing quickened. She tightly shut her eyes, trying to close out all of her thoughts.

Fujiyoshi, at the station next to her, jolted his head in her direction when the palms of her hands slammed onto the tabletop. "…re right…" He heard her mumble.

"…What?" He hesitantly asked. Her head was bent down, causing her fringe to sway across and cover her eyes. Through the strands, he could slightly see the manic look in her eyes and it frightened him.

"You were right." Ayano repeated more clearly. "About everything. About heroes and villains. How they're the same when it comes to making weapons. You were right. About all of it."

"W-What are you talking about?" Fujiyoshi asked again, growing more and more afraid.

"You were right about everything!" She shouted, attracting the attention of the rest of the class. "These are just weapons! For heroes! For villains!" She tightly gripped one of her inventions.

" **IT'S ALL THE SAME!** " She smashed the machine to the ground.

* * *

Aizawa tried continuing on with his lesson, but the commotion outside was beginning to both bother and worry him. Just as he was about to go and check it out, Midnight slammed the door open.

"Aizawa! Come quick! It's Ayano! She's having an episode!"


	38. Chapter 38

"Sasaki! You need to get a hold of yourself!" Junk Master shouted at the girl, attempting to calm her. His efforts were futile, as the girl continued to disassemble and smash every one of her inventions in sight.

He was currently protecting the other students from stray shards of metal while he anxiously waited for Power Loader to get help. He could try to fight Ayano, but then he would be putting her classmates as risk. Fight Ayano or protect the students. It was the obvious choice, and he believed that Ayano would eventually listen to his words.

"The fight is over, Sasaki! It's all over! You're safe now!" He tried reasoning again. She didn't even make a move to look at him.

She spoke in an unexpectedly calm voice, grimacing at his last statement. "Perhaps I am…but everyone else is not…" Just when he was about to ask what she meant, the door burst open to reveal Power Loader, Midnight, and Aizawa.

Upon the sight of the female teacher, Ayano promptly donned a gas mask, frowning deeply as she did so. It was one very similar to the one that was used during the training camp invasion by the villain possessing the toxic gas quirk.

"I promise you, if you allow me to finish my job here, everything will be fine. There is no other cause for concern." Ayano spoke, her words muffled by the gas mask. One hand was using a mechanical glove to crush smaller gadgets. Her other hand continued to methodically detonate several of her creations, not even flinching when a few pieces of shrapnel flew at her and dug into her skin. In the process of destroying all of her creations, she had amassed several small wounds.

Her unflinching stature and hollow eyes were haunting.

The teachers looked to Junk Master, hoping for at least some debriefing. The man just sadly shook his head. "She's lost it. She won't listen to anything I say."

"We'll take care of it. You just get the kids safely out of here." Midnight ordered, moving with Aizawa and Power Loader to form a sort of human wall to protect the students from stray fragments from the explosions. Junk Master nodded, finally able to turn his back and guide his students to safety.

Midnight turned to Aizawa, formulating as many plans as she could. "I'm not sure how strong that gas mask is, but it shouldn't be able to hold out for too long in this enclosed space while I use my quirk at full strength. The problem is that my quirk works better on males than females. You think you can take her down fast enough?"

"Doesn't matter if I can. I have to." Aizawa inhaled a deep breath to hold in and dashed at the girl, not even bothering to waste time putting on his goggles. Midnight immediately tore off both sleeves of her body suit, her quirk exuding from her arms.

His capture weapon darted towards her, but Ayano barely moved to dodge it. Leaning back just enough for the scarf to fly past her face, her gloved hand quickly grabbed at the end. The mechanic glove began to glow a faint red as Aizawa was unable to pull the scarf from her vice-like grip.

"If I recall correctly, your weapon is made of steel wire alloy woven with carbon nanofibers. That makes for excellent tensile strength…" She harshly tugged at the fabric in several places with the heated glove. "However, it loses much of that tensile strength when subjected to extreme heat, making it very susceptible to bending out of shape."

She released her hold on the material, the scarf flying back towards Aizawa. He caught it, taking care in not touching the parts that she had heated so that he wouldn't burn himself. The places she had touched were completely misshapen, bent in all different and abnormal directions. There was no sign that it would return to its normal state anytime soon but luckily, she hadn't tampered with most of it.

"I will say it again. I promise you that everything will be fine if you just allow me to finish my work." Her eyes seemed so dead and hollow, but Aizawa caught the faintest glint of sadness in them as she spoke. She continued, "I really do not wish to continue handling your interference. If you continue, your weapon will surely be out of commission afterwards and you will have to get a new one."

Aizawa ignored her, closing the distance between them and preparing to strike. He kept aiming for either the mask or places that would knock her out instantly. Ayano dodged everything smoothly, destroying her weapons and smashing things to the ground all at the same time.

All of his hits were so close, yet so far. He tried remaining calm, but he was growing frantic as he was quickly running out of time. Luckily, Junk Master returned along with Vlad King. "Eraser! Step back!" Class 1-B's homeroom teacher shouted.

Without any special gear other than the gas mask and the glove she was using to destroy her other support items, Ayano couldn't react fast enough to Vlad's speed. He forcefully pinned her against the wall and trapped her with his hardening blood in three seconds flat.

As he removed the gas mask from her face, Ayano gave no signs of struggling, knowing full well that it would be pointless. She just closed her eyes, inhaling Midnight's sleep-inducing quirk.

After she was sure that Ayano was out cold, Midnight stopped using her quirk. All of the teachers breathed deeply, finally able to breath normally.

Needless to say, there was a lot of commotion outside of the room. Not only because of the noise of the battle, but also because several teachers had abandoned their classes to help. As a result, hundreds of students were crowding around the Development Studio, hoping to get a glimpse of what was happening.

Bakugou squeezed past people, shoving and roaring. "GET OUT OF MY WAY BEFORE I BLOW YOU ALL TO H—" He, as well as many others, froze in place as Vlad King exited the room with an unconscious Ayano over his shoulder.

Bakugou's eyes darted all over her body, his mind racing. Her face looked so peaceful as she slept, but the rest of her was a different story. Parts of her clothes and hair were singed from being so close to the explosions. Blood was trickling down her arms from where the stray shrapnel had pierced the skin.

The teachers had made a wall, pushing the crowd of students back to give Vlad space to walk. The man gently placed Ayano in Junk Master's arms, who continued to carefully walk down the hallway.

Without caring about the repercussions, Bakugou shoved a student at a teacher, making an opportunity for him to slip by. He thought he might have heard several people shout his name, but everything to him was faint and fuzzy.

Everything but Ayano.

His advance was cut short when he felt the familiar material of his homeroom teacher's capture weapon around his body. "Where do you think you're going, Bakugou?"

The boy glared at him. "Let go of me! What the hell happened in there! What have you done to her! Where are you taking her! Answer me!"

"Bakugou! Calm down! We're not going to do anything with her! We just need to put her in a more solitary space." Midnight tried telling the boy, hoping that she wouldn't have to use her quirk again.

"Then what was with her arms!? Why was she like that?!" The blond growled out, the rage clouding his mind.

"Bakugou." Aizawa firmly tugged on the scarf, forcing the boy's attention onto him. "Sasaki will be examined for medical help. We're returning to the classroom." He ordered, not even waiting for a response before dragging him away, the boy kicking and shouting all the way.

All of the students were ushered back into their classrooms and classes remained in session. Aizawa kept a close eye on Bakugou as the boy glared at him for the entirety of the remaining class time.

As soon as the bell rang, Bakugou leapt out of his seat to follow his homeroom teacher. "Don't even think about it." Aizawa told him in a dull voice. Bakugou was about to shout back when he was suddenly restrained by Iida, Kirishima, and Midoriya. The three boys took hold of both his arms and legs. "GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"

"I cannot allow a fellow classmate to so openly disobey the orders of our teacher!" Iida responded, struggling against Bakugou's enraged, barbaric strength.

"Bakugou, calm down! Aya-chan's gonna be fine! Aizawa-sensei said so, himself!" Kirishima tried to reason.

"I'm worried about her too, Kacchan! But we can't interfere, yet!" Midoriya shouted.

The blond refused to listen, his frown and the furrow in his eyebrows growing deeper by the second. Eventually, he activated his quirk in full force, propelling his body forward and breaking free from their grasp.

He slammed the door open, his head swinging from side to side, trying to find a glimpse of Aizawa. Unfortunately, the man was long gone. The boy growled, shoving past all of the other students who were trying to get home.

He would just have to scour the place to find her.


	39. Chapter 39

"This is all my fault…" Junk Master mumbled to nobody in particular. Perhaps it was more for himself than anything.

They were in a monitor room, several of the computer screens displaying different angles of Ayano in solitary confinement. For now, she was completely docile in the straitjacket. If people didn't know any better, she would've seemed perfectly fine and the straitjacket would be considered excessive.

Junk Master garnered looks of sympathy from several of the teachers. Midnight placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Junk. We all saw her at some point after the invasion and during her recovery. None of us could have anticipated that she would break. Especially not after she passed all of the psychological tests."

The man just shook his head repeatedly, his fists shaking. "No…It is my fault. I'm her homeroom teacher, damn it! The signs…they were all there! I should've noticed sooner!" He shut his eyes, ruminating about everything that had happened.

" _This is the least I could do. This cannot compare to the trouble and pain I have caused to others due to my foolishness. The pain that I caused to their families…because of the support items—_ _ **weapons**_ _—that I made."_

"… _Still, the root of many of these problems stems from my shortcomings…"_

" _I have worried my parents far enough. Whatever decision they settled on would be the one that I follow." She looked down. "Although…it may not even matter in the end."_

Junk Master bit his lip in frustration. The rest of the teachers looked on in concern.

Principal Nezu walked up to the man and pat his leg. He offered some tea. "Midnight is right. We should have been more thorough with the testing and overseeing her recovery. Please, do not put the blame on yourself." Junk Master remained quiet, but accepted the tea.

Snipe sighed. "To think that she would be having PTSD…It's a little strange, don't you think? She fought those villains tooth and nail. She didn't even bat an eye when telling the police what happened to her. She was recalling those memories perfectly fine."

Several of the teachers nodded, thinking about his words. "That's right. Tsukauchi told me she didn't even flinch when they asked about her captivity. In fact, she apparently told them all about it in…excruciating detail." All Might added, his face darkening upon thinking about the villains' forms of torture.

"All the signs and symptoms are clearly those of PTSD. If not that, then what could it possibly be?" Midnight questioned.

"It's a different kind of PTSD than what you all are thinking." Recovery Girl stated as she walked in.

At the questioning looks of her fellow staff, Recovery Girl explained. "Just like they said, Sasaki Ayano couldn't care less that she was kidnapped or tortured. She has no lingering fear about that because she fully believes she can protect herself. That's why she passed all of the psychological tests. We failed to properly diagnose her because we focused too much on her kidnapping."

"The problem wasn't that she was kidnapped or beaten. The problem was that the villains used her support items against her. Against the people she loved. Against innocent people. _Her support items were used for evil_."

Some of the teachers furrowed their brows in confusion. Snipe was the first to speak up. "So you're saying that she just feels…guilty?"

The nurse nodded. "In essence, yes. Obviously, it's not just some basic 'I cheated on my exam' type of guilt or anything like that. In fact, I'm not entirely sure you could properly diagnose this as PTSD but she certainly exhibits similar signs and symptoms."

Junk Master stared at Ayano through the computer screens. "She's so laden with guilt that she can't bear to make, or even look at her own support items?" He asked hesitantly.

Recovery Girl sighed. "I'd imagine she thinks everything that transpired is her fault."

Present Mic spoke out. "That doesn't make any sense though! With how logical she is, shouldn't she have realized that all of this couldn't possibly be her fault!? She's clearly the victim here!"

"It's precisely because she's so rational that she refuses to believe otherwise." Aizawa surmised. "The fact remains that her support items and designs were used by the villains, and that led to major injuries of her peers and innocent civilians. She's so fixated on 'Point A' and 'Point B' that she refuses to acknowledge any outside factors."

"Imagine your whole life thinking of one thing, and suddenly that one thing you based all of your beliefs on, _is wrong_." He explained further. "She lived her entire life thinking that her support items would help people— _save_ people. Then this happens, and they're used for the exact opposite of their purpose. Of course she's going to blame herself."

"In her head, the bottom line is that people were hurt because of the support items she made. Other things that led up to that outcome don't matter to her."

"Is there no way for us to snap her out of that mindset?!" Mic asked, his hope diminishing by the second. Midnight jumped in. "Well if this is all true, she can definitely still listen to some reason, can't she? After all, there seemed like there was a…method to her madness. Everything she did looked like it was calculated—systematic, even."

Aizawa agreed. "She had no intention of hurting me. Only fending me off enough for her to continue destroying her support items. She was also only touching her own creations. Leading me to believe that she truly blames herself and not just support items in general."

"There's also the letter I found in her bag." Power Loader added, raising his hand with the letter sealed inside of an envelope. On the front were the words 'Letter of Withdrawal.' He handed the parcel to Principal Nezu.

"Letter of withdrawal?! She plans on dropping out of the school?" Junk Master bellowed.

Principal Nezu hummed in thought as he read through the letter. "Not quite. She mentions that she believes she no longer has the right to be in the Support Department, but given the circumstances, understands that she can't just drop out due to safety reasons. She is requesting to be placed into the General Studies Department or even the Business and Management Department. She certainly seems much more sound of mind than the average PTSD patient."

"So, she's completely given up on continuing her support career…" A dark cloud fell over Junk Master. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had completely failed his student.

Nezu comfortingly pat the man's leg again. "Now, now. We just said that she can still listen to reason, correct? Her actions may seem crazed, but they are indeed filled with logic. We just need to allow her mind to think about this more broadly and not just focusing on what her role was in everything that happened."

Midnight released an exasperated sigh. "If only it were that easy. Hound Dog and I were just in there for half an hour, but she's so adamant about everything! She wouldn't budge about a single thing."

"Perhaps we need to take a more personal approach then. Maybe she needs to talk to somebody who was more, say, involved with the incident." He turned to Junk Master, Aizawa, and All Might, referring to them respectively. "As her homeroom teacher and as people who were there during the invasion, maybe the three of you could help her shed some light on the situation."

Aizawa shook his head. "I already told her everything I needed to at the hospital. Her support items definitely helped to prevent more serious injuries from happening to the students. There's not much more I could say to her to make her believe me."

Junk Master was about to reply when somebody was attempting to blast open the door to the monitoring room.

It was Bakugou.

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! I KNOW SHE'S IN THERE!" The boy screamed, his voice and ensuing explosions muffled by the thick metal of the door.

"That idiot." Aizawa clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was about to go and take care of his troublesome student when All Might tugged on his arm to stop him. "Wait! Young Bakugou could be just what she needs."

Nezu rubbed his chin. "Hmm, you could be on to something. They were both taken by the villains and they _are_ childhood friends. Maybe letting him talk to her would be a good idea."

Aizawa sighed, but moved to open the door regardless. When he opened it, Bakugou had his arms raised. He was fully prepared to use his quirk at maximum power, but he stopped himself just before firing a blast that would have been right at his teacher's face.

"Try anything stupid and I won't hesitate to throw you out." The man gruffly said before abruptly turning back around.

"I'm glad you could join us, Bakugou! We would like your assistance in this matter." Nezu said amiably.

"Why is she here?" The blond demanded, ignoring Nezu's words. He looked at the various screens displaying different angles of Ayano sitting with her back against the wall. "Why is she in a straitjacket!? What the fuck is going on here?"

"Calm down, Bakugou. Everything is fine. We put her in the straitjacket for her own safety. It's to prevent her from resorting to self-harm." Midnight tried explaining.

"Safety, my ass! If everything is fine, why the fuck do you have her locked up like a prisoner in a nuthouse!?" His palms were emitting small pops of explosions. His anger getting the best of him and his quirk slipping out.

He sensed the familiar feeling of his quirk forcefully stopping. He turned towards his homeroom teacher to see his black hair raised, fully revealing the redness in his dry eyes. "Try anything stupid…" Aizawa repeated, not even bothering to finish. Bakugou already knew the threat was present.

All Might walked up to the boy, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Young Bakugou, will you help us convince Young Sasaki that she is not at fault for what happened?"

Bakugou roughly shrugged his hands off. "I'll do what I want. I'll knock some sense into her." He declared, walking through the doors to the solitary room with a fire in his eyes.


	40. Chapter 40

"Are we sure it's alright to let him go in there alone?" Vlad King asked, caution in his voice.

"Bakugou can protect himself." Aizawa defended his student, but Vlad King's wariness did not lessen. "It's really not him that I'm worried about…" He hesitantly stated.

"Young Bakugou and Young Sasaki seem to have a strong bond with one another, despite all of their fights." All Might declared. Midnight nodded in agreement, "I think we don't have much to worry about. After all, you saw how they were at the Sports Festival, right?"

With that, the teachers directed their gazes towards the monitors, a hopefulness in their eyes.

* * *

Bakugou entered the room, the door behind him sliding closed. The clink of the door seemed to echo in his ears.

At the sound of the door and his footsteps, Ayano raised her head. All of the rage within Bakugou diminished the moment their eyes met.

Her eyes were so hollow. So empty. So desolate.

She looked so… _defeated_.

The tension in Bakugou's shoulders completely disappeared. Seeing her like this. Seeing her so… _pitiful_. It depressed even him.

The tension in his shoulders returned. This wasn't right. This wasn't acceptable. She wasn't supposed to look like this. Why had she become like this?

"…Get up…" He spoke after he got his bearings. Ayano was in a straitjacket, but her legs were left unbound.

Bakugou had no intention of talking down to her and no intention of crouching to her level either. She was above that.

However, Ayano made no move to stand. She simply continued to stare at him with that awful, hollow look in her eyes. He made a low growl. "I said get up!" She still remained seated.

"GET UP, DAMN IT!" He was very close to using force when she finally moved. She stood up excruciatingly slowly, still leaning against the wall.

They were now properly face-to-face, but even looking at her on the same level, her eyes did not change. Bakugou grit his teeth. "Why do you look so pathetic." It wasn't so much a question, as it was a statement.

Ayano didn't move. Not a single indication that she had even heard him.

"Answer me!" He shouted, his hands clenching into fists.

"I apologize for the trouble that I have caused you." Her voice was just as hollow as her gaze, the coldness in it causing Bakugou to flinch.

"What the hell are you going on about?" He asked, knowing that he definitely was not going to like whatever answer she gave.

"…Had I been stronger…less foolish…you would not have had to experience what you did." Her eyes travelled to the floor, showing shame and not just the emptiness from before.

Even so, Bakugou still didn't want to see that on her either.

"What the—If you're talking about me getting caught, that's because I wasn't strong enough! I should've just blown them all to hell!" He shouted at her, not believing she was really blaming herself for something to stupid.

Ayano sighed. "Perhaps…but the underlying cause of all of this was because of my negligence. I was kidnapped because I was not strong enough. The villains invaded the training camp because of my support items."

Bakugou's eye twitched in annoyance. "Are you deaf!? I just said those idiots got me because I was too weak!"

She growled back at him. "Your kidnapping is irrelevant! Do you understand how many people got hurt!? How many of our own classmates! How do you think the villains found the training camp in the first place?! It was because of me! Because of the tracking device that I forced Izuku to bring with him…"

Bakugou's eyes widened. He hadn't known about that part, but he quickly composed himself. "So what!? They used your stupid tracking device! Whatever! They were still after me, and I shouldn't have been caught!"

Ayano just shook her head in complete denial. "If I hadn't been caught first, then they would not have been able to get to you so easily. Everyone would not have been in so much danger. Let's say that you were strong enough to ward them off. Then, that's even worse! If their target is you, then obviously they will keep going after you again and again and again. Our classmates would be put in danger again and again and again. You and I both know that."

The blond nearly wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. In theory, she was making logical arguments, but it just didn't make sense! There's no reason for her to blame herself when so many other things were involved!

"Not just our classmates…" She bit her lip, her face scrunched up in remorse. "Innocent civilians…professional heroes…Best Jeanist, Ragdoll…and even…" She tightly closed her eyes, unable to bring herself to say the Symbol of Peace's name.

"You can't be serious…" Bakugou shakily asked. "You can't honestly be thinking that's your fault. Of all things, you chose _that_ to blame yourself for!?"

He lunged at her, grasping at the collar of the straitjacket. He shook her back and forth, trying to force her to look at him. "You _saw_ what that guy was like! He was going toe-to-toe with All Might! Nobody else would be able to take him down and All Might defeated him _because_ we were able to escape! We were just holding him back and us escaping is what let him have a fair fight!"

He kept shaking her while she was unresponsive, only biting her lip. "He won! All Might _won_ , damn it! We did what we could to let him w—GAH" He was cut short by Ayano slamming her head into his.

The force of it caused his grip on her collar to loosen and he stumbled back from her. With his hand rubbing his forehead to help alleviate the pain, he glared at her. The fire in his eyes disappeared as soon as his eyes met hers though.

She shouted back at him. "Don't you get it, you idiot!? All Might wouldn't have had to fight him if I didn't get caught! My kidnapping led to the villains finding the location of the training camp. That led to you getting kidnapped, which led to the pro heroes having to intervene and come save us. _That_ led to the fight between All For One and All Might! All Might may have won, but that's it!"

"All Might won, and now he's retired! The Symbol of Peace is done! Over! Dead! The pillar that all of society was held up on…it's gone! How do you expect me not to blame myself for that?!"

Her head slumped down, as if she lost the strength to keep holding it up. Her uneven fringe cast a shadow over her eyes. "Tell me…Tell me why…" Her voice was quiet, sounding as though she were about to cry. Her shoulders shaking, she sharply lifted her head at him. Her eyes held unshed tears.

" **WHY DID I BECOME THE REASON FOR ALL MIGHT'S END?!** "

The sheer agony on her face and in her voice made Bakugou's heart pang with a multitude of emotions. Sympathy, guilt, anger.

The tears finally fell. She quickly turned away, not wanting him to see her crying. She growled in frustration, not even able to wipe the tears away because of the straitjacket. "…Damn it…Damn it! I didn't want to say it, but you just had to keep pushing! Shit!"

She stomped and kicked at the wall, hoping to relieve some of her irritations but to no avail. "If I said it aloud, then I would really be accepting the facts…I never wanted to say it, but it's true. It's because of me that All Might…that All Might…!" She couldn't bring herself to say it. Not a second time.

This wasn't right. This wasn't right at all. She didn't need to feel this way. She _shouldn't_ feel this way. How could she think like this?

How could she think the same way that he did?

The burden that she was carrying was the very same burden that _he_ was carrying.

What she blamed herself for was exactly what Bakugou blamed _himself_ for. If he had been stronger…if he hadn't been kidnapped by the villains, then none of this would have happened.

 _He_ was the reason for All Might's end. _Not her!_

"…Shut up…" He mumbled. She continued muttering to herself about how this was all her fault. The fists at Bakugou's sides began to shake in fury. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

He lunged towards her again, grabbing the straitjacket's collar once more. He roughly pulled her forward and slammed her back into the wall. "Don't say that! DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT! NOT YOU!"

Ayano once again tried slamming her head into his, but the same move wouldn't work twice on him. He easily moved his head to the side, but Ayano had expected this. As he did so, she made a move to kick at his side.

He felt a blunt pain at his left ribs. He grunted but quickly grabbed at her leg before she could remove it. Stuck in place with her arms bound and one leg in Bakugou's grip, Ayano had only two options: Literally use her head again or risk using her other foot.

Since using her head failed the last time, she jumped off the floor and kicked at Bakugou's stomach with her free leg. Having no footholds, the two tumbled to the floor in a struggle.

Bakugou was at a clear advantage since Ayano's arms were bound, but she still put up a big fight. The two were rolling all over the floor, struggling for dominance. Without the use of her arms, Ayano resorted to using her teeth, biting viciously at his arms.

Eventually their struggle stopped with Bakugou on top of Ayano and straddling her. In this position, her legs were useless. With one hand, he held her head down by pushing at her forehead, preventing her from moving to bite at him.

"It's not your fault, you dumbass! All Might had to get involved because of me too!" He shouted over her.

"I keep telling you that your kidnapping was irrelevant! Even if you weren't kidnapped, he still would have had to come save me since I was kidnapped first! Why don't you understand!?" She shouted back at him.

"Why is this only about him anyway?! You blame yourself for the whole incident but you're barely even mentioning the other heroes that got hurt! Why are you so stuck on All Might!?" Bakugou demanded.

"BECAUSE HE WAS OUR HERO!" Her volume felt like it could shake the whole room.

At his angry and confused look, Ayano continued in a quieter voice, losing her strength by the second. "He wasn't just everyone's hero. He wasn't just society's hero. He was _our_ hero! Izuku's…yours…mine…"

Bakugou was beginning to lose what little patience he had left. "What are you talking about?! When we were kids, you didn't give a rat's ass about him! You said that he was just a symbol! A symbol for everyone to look up to and admire. That he wasn't a hero you could get close with on a personal level _because_ he belonged to everyone!"

"You're right! I didn't care about him because I knew what his role in society was! What's important is that you two cared about him!" She yelled, referring to him and Midoriya. "He was your hero. You both admired the same person so much. He was everything you two aspired to be!"

"What was I to do!? Just ignore that fact!? Of course I would start admiring him too! I wanted to help you both become amazing heroes! And what was your idea of an 'amazing hero'? All Might! So, he became my idea of an amazing hero too! It was different from the two of you, but I also looked up to him!"

"He was the thing that connected the three of us! He was the reason why I was able to support you for this long! I wanted to help you become the kind of hero you wanted to be. A kind of hero like him. He was our hero! He was _my_ hero!"

The tears had begun to fall again. Tears of frustration. Tears of anger. Tears of sadness. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, not wanting to look at Bakugou anymore.

…What the hell…

He was her hero? She was feeling this way because of him? Because he looked up to All Might? The hero that linked them together?

If she thought that All Might was the most amazing hero, then there was only one solution.

"…Look at me." He grumbled. "Look at me!" He said louder. "Look at me and forget about him!"

"If he's the most amazing hero to you, then I just have to surpass even him!"

" **I'll be your hero!** "


	41. Chapter 41

" **I'll be your hero!** "

* * *

 _Two small children were walking down the street. One with ash blond hair and another with coffee brown hair. The young, brown-haired girl was fiddling with some sort of gadget in her hands as she walked. The ash blond boy stealing glances at her from time to time._

 _His attention soon shifted to the window of an electronics store. A television was on display and its screen showed an ever rising All Might facing off against four villains. The young boy quickly ran up to the store window, his eyes lighting up. The girl followed him, her eyes also watching the screen, but with much less excitement and more curiosity._

" _Man, All Might's so cool! Look! You seen this one? All Might's totally the coolest! It's four-on-one! No way he can win, right?! But look! There! Dodge! Punch! Then feint…See! He won!" The boy exclaimed, his hands and body moving about to match his words._

" _No matter how bad it looks, he always wins in the end! He's definitely the most amazing hero!" His body kept bouncing from excitement, his eyes never leaving the screen._

 _The girl beside him hummed in thought. "…I guess he is…" Her hesitant voice did not escape the boy's attention._

" _What's that supposed to mean?!" He demanded, as if he were getting offended on the behalf of the aforementioned hero._

" _Nothing, really!" The girl waved her hands about, worried that she may have upset her friend. "I'm sure he has to be the most amazing hero since he's number one…"_

 _She paused, unsure if further explanation would make him angrier. "…I just don't admire him as much as you do, Kacchan. That's all."_

 _The boy frowned and his brows furrowed. "Why not? You just said he's the most amazing hero!"_

" _He is! But everyone thinks that! Just because he's the most amazing doesn't mean he's my favorite." She explained._

 _Bakugou's face grew even more confused. Upon seeing his expression, Ayano began fidgeting. "I think the heroes from our district are better than All Might…"_

 _She quickly continued before Bakugou could interrupt her. "Not because I think they're stronger! All Might is definitely the strongest! I just like them more because they're closer to us, you know? If we were ever in danger, it wouldn't be All Might coming to save us. He's too far! It would be the heroes right here!"_

" _All Might is everyone's hero, not just ours. With the local heroes, it feels like they're_ _ **our**_ _heroes because they're so much closer to us. That's why I like them more._

 _Ayano fidgeted even more under Bakugou's piercing gaze. He was contemplating her words. He could sort of understand her reasoning, but All Might was still the coolest! Even if he wasn't close to them._

" _Then…who's your favorite hero then?" He asked. Ayano looked up in thought. "I don't think I have one yet."_

" _Huh?! You can't say all that and then not have a favorite hero!" The blond shouted at her. She smiled sheepishly, completely understanding the inconsistency in her logic. "Well, it's not like I've ever actually met one of the heroes from around here. I'm sure that if I ever get to, they'd become my personal number one hero."_

 _For some reason, Bakugou didn't like the sound of that. Hearing that she didn't like All Might the most was one thing, but this was another. He was upset, but it wasn't for the same reasons. Hearing that someone else would become her number one hero rubbed him the wrong way for reasons he couldn't explain._

"… _It'll be me." He mumbled. She looked at him with confusion, a questioning sound coming from her mouth._

" _I said it'll be me! You've already met me and I'm definitely going to become a hero, so I'll be your number one hero for sure! I'm closer to you than even All Might, right? I'll even surpass him so even if you did get to meet him, I'd still be your number one!"_

" _ **I'll be your hero!**_ _"_

* * *

Ayano looked at him in shock. The tears had stopped flowing entirely because of how surprised she was at his words.

Bakugou continued shouting at her. "What does it matter if All Might is done for?! Everything will be fine if someone just replaces him, right?! If that's the case, I'll replace him! I'll surpass him and become the number one hero! You won't have to feel like this if there's someone better, right?! Then, I'll become the most amazing hero! The one that's closer to you than even All Might! The one that you'll admire even more than him!"

He was panting. The shouting and anger within him slowly subsiding after seeing her reaction. Had he gotten through to her, even just a little?

Ayano couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did he really mean all of those things? Only an idiot would say such stuff! Not to mention, his words were pretty embarrassing. It was basically the same things he said when they were children.

Was he doing this on purpose? No, it didn't seem like that. So, he really does mean all the things he's proclaiming. He really hadn't changed. How can he say such embarrassing things like that with such conviction?

Speaking of which, how did she even respond to him back then? Oh, that's right. She said something pretty embarrassing too.

" _Kacchan…You're_ _ **already**_ _my hero!"_

It seems she hadn't changed either. Ayano still felt the same way, and she was angry at herself for taking this long to realize it.

At the bombardment of childhood memories coupled with realizing her feelings, Ayano began to cry again. These tears, however, were tears of joy. She started to laugh. A laugh of immense relief. Her heart felt so much lighter now, the weight on her shoulders diminishing.

Bakugou frowned, unsure of what to do. "Are you laughing or crying!? Pick one!"

Ayano just laughed more at his flustered reaction. "You really haven't changed…" She said quietly. She debated on whether or not to say the same words as she did when she was a child.

" _You're_ _ **already**_ _my hero!"_

Ayano furiously shook her head. There's no way she'd say something so embarrassing like that again. She wasn't ready yet, and he already had such a big ego. There was no point in swelling his head further. At least, that's what she used to convince herself.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at him dead in the eye. He flinched, seeing the conviction in them.

"Katsuki…" His heart might have just skipped a beat at hearing her use his first name like that.

"Thank you." Her eyes softened and the ends of her lips tilted up into a gentle smile. She had smiled at him plenty of times before, but this was the first time she had done it so openly. It was the first time he was looking.

It was the first one he had actually seen.

His blush grew even deeper when he realized that he was still straddling her from before. Quickly jumping off of her, he looked away to hide the deep blush on his face. "Thank me for what?! Knocking some sense into you?! If you're ever so pathetic again, I'll be sure to hit you twice as hard next time!"

His gruff way of saying things never changed. Although, this time it was because he wanted to hide his feelings.

Ayano gave a breathy laugh as she got up. "There will not be a next time." She promised.

Bakugou stared at her, deciphering whether or not she was telling the truth. His eyes travelled to her cheeks. She had stopped crying, but the tears still streaked her cheeks. With her arms still bound by the straitjacket, she had no way of wiping them.

His hand cupped the side of her face, his thumb rubbing the tears. Although a bit rough, Ayano didn't mind his touch at all.

"Good. You're stronger than that." He declared, his eyes staring into hers. He stopped himself from saying anything further, only letting the rest run through his thoughts. _"I can't bear to see you like that._ "

After wiping the rest of the tears off, Bakugou shoved his hand back into his pocket, seemingly embarrassed by his actions. Ayano smiled at him again, but he was already looking away to hide the returning blush.

Taking another deep breath, Ayano looked up at an odd angle. "I am prepared to speak with you all now. You have my word that I will not act out again."

Bakugou realized that she must have been looking into one of the hidden cameras. He smirked. Even while in such a crazed state, she was still able to observe her surroundings clearly.

She truly is amazing.

A click echoed through the room. The lock on the door was released.

Ayano walked past Bakugou, the fire returning in her eyes. He followed after her, the small smile still on his face.

As they returned to the monitoring room, many of the teachers still looked concerned. Ayano gave them a deep bow. Still bowing, she spoke. "I deeply apologize for my behavior. It was unbecoming, irrational, and caused you much trouble. I am fully prepared to receive any punishment that you deem fit."

Junk Master walked closer to her. "Sasaki, kiddo…That's not what we're worried about right now. You went through so much, and we neglected you. We _failed_ you."

The girl shook her head. "The fault does not lie with any of you. If anybody could be faulted, it would be me…" She took a glance at Bakugou that did not go unnoticed by the boy. "Although, I no longer blame myself for everything. Bakugou helped me realize that."

The boy felt a pang of disappointment at hearing his last name rather than his first.

The teachers looked at each other, trying to see if anybody had any objections. She certainly seemed much better, but they had also been wrong before. Principal Nezu spoke up. "Then, about your letter of withdrawal…"

Ayano interrupted him. "I would like to rescind my letter of withdrawal. Of course, if you feel that part of my punishment is to be removed from the Support Department, then I will accept your decision."

The principal smiled at her. "I don't believe that's necessary. You seem to have reflected on your actions and like your teacher said, we are also to blame for this whole ordeal. The Support Department would be losing a very valuable student, would you not agree?" He asked, looking up at Junk Master.

The man gave a firm nod. "Your place is with us, making support items." He then smirked at Ayano. "But don't think I'll let you off the hook that easily! I expect a reflection paper submitted to me by the end of tomorrow!"

Ayano smiled and bowed again. "I greatly appreciate all of your concerns and leniency. As for making support items goes…" Her smile disappeared into a slight frown. "…I do not intend to neglect my studies. However, I believe it may take me a bit more time to assimilate back to how things were. Making support items should be fine, but weapons…"

She looked away, as if she were disappointed in herself. Junk Master placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I understand." He said gently. In truth, he was just relieved that she no longer saw support items and weapons as being synonymous.

For now, he would settle with just letting her make support items that were not geared towards combat. "Alrighty! Now, let's get you out of that thing!" He exclaimed, referring to the straitjacket.

"That is unnecessary." Ayano said in her normal monotone voice. Junk Master's eyes bulged, seeing her with her arms completely free. The extra-long sleeves of the straitjacket dangled over her hands. She easily removed it to reveal her uniform underneath.

The other teachers were astonished as well, many of them with their mouths agape. "For the record, I could have gotten out at any time. There was just no reason to earlier. I am quite shocked to know that the esteemed U.A. still uses such outdated equipment like this. It seems as though the school never had any problem students before, but I believe that should not be an excuse to not keep equipment updated."

She neatly folded the straitjacket and handed it to Junk Master. "I would not be opposed to helping update the equipment. In fact, that could be my first returning assignment." She suggested.

Junk Master gave a boisterous laugh. "You're full of surprises, you know that? Sure! Why not! Think you can have it done in five days?"

Ayano smirked. "I'll have it done in three." She spoke confidently, causing her teacher to laugh again. The other teachers smiled in relief, glad to have her somewhat back to normal.

* * *

With mostly everything being resolved, Ayano and Bakugou returned together to the dorms. As they walked in, they were met with most of the 1-A students hanging around in the lounge.

Upon seeing his two childhood friends, Midoriya dashed up to them. "Aya-chan! Is everything okay?"

She stared into his worried eyes, feeling quite a bit of guilt. "Yes, everything is okay." Unlike last time, she looked right at him when she said this. The green-haired boy sighed with relief and smiled at her, knowing that she was telling the truth.

She made a mental note to give him a proper apology later when they would be given more privacy.

The rest of his classmates gave a sort of celebratory cheer, several of them coming up to check on Ayano personally.

"Man, you sure are scary when you want to be, Aya-chan! I can't believe so many of the teachers had to restrain you!" Sero exclaimed.

Kaminari snickered. "Maybe not as scary as Bakugou though. You should've seen him when he heard that his girlfriend was in trouble!"

Ayano looked at Bakugou with a single eyebrow raised. The boy ignored her, choosing instead to glare at his classmate.

She, however, did not miss the slight reddening of his cheeks.

"You gotta admit, he was pretty manly though! To go after your girl when you know she's in trouble!" Kirishima teased, causing the other two to chuckle.

That was the last straw, as Bakugou lunged forward to tackle the three boys. Several explosions and electric sparks were heard before an unknown voice spoke out.

"Excuse me!"

Class 1-A and Ayano turned around to meet the voice.

Their eyes fell upon Fujiyoshi Yuudai.


	42. Chapter 42

"Fujiyoshi-san…" Ayano slowly breathed out. With the whirlwind of emotions she had been experiencing lately, her concerns about Fujiyoshi Yuudai had been at the very back of her mind. Now that he was right here before her very eyes, all of those thoughts were rushing back to her. She began calculating what she would like to say first, seeing as Fujiyoshi seemed reluctant to begin.

Bakugou's hands tightened into fists, his face growing into a deeper scowl. He didn't quite know the boy, but he recognized him to be the one that was always trying to pick a fight with Ayano some way or another. Was this bastard trying to start something again?!

Ayano broke the silence. "…I am glad that you appear to be unharmed." "STOP!" She tilted her head a bit at that.

"S-Stop!" Fujiyoshi repeated. "…Just…Just stop…" He put his head in his hands out of frustration, tightly gripping strands of his hair. "I don't deserve to hear those words…especially not from you." He mumbled the last part, but the room was so quiet that everyone had heard him.

Ayano raised an eyebrow at him, uncertain of his actions. When she had revealed to him what she knew about his father and had appreciated his skill, he had said similar words to her. This time, however, his words were laden with more guilt than anger.

She chose to give him as much time as he needed since he was having trouble gathering his thoughts. "Perhaps we should transfer to a more private location?" She suggested, seeing as they were still in the lobby with much of Class 1-A. Fujiyoshi appeared to be battling the emotions within him, and Ayano thought it best to let him do so in peace.

With his head still in one of his hands, Fujiyoshi used the other to wave around. "No! No…it's fine. I just…I just need some time to think." He gave a long sigh, revealing the fatigue in his voice.

Ayano would have offered to have him sit on one of the couches in the lobby, but once again, she thought it best to let him figure things out before interfering.

Once he sorted out his feelings, Fujiyoshi's head shot straight up. He looked at Ayano, his eyes full of conviction. "I was the reason you were kidnapped by the villains!"

Everyone's eyes widened, and Ayano's own eyes enlarged marginally. The room was deathly quiet for the amount of people in it.

Fujiyoshi continued. "It was because of me that y—MPH!" His voice was immediately muffled and cut off from Ayano lunging forward and covering his mouth with her hand.

With her hand still silencing him, Ayano spoke slowly and cautiously. "Under normal circumstances, I would not care about anybody listening to us. However, given the severity of this potential conversation, I believe it would be in our best interest to move to a more private location as I suggested previously."

She took a glance behind her at all of the Class 1-A students. Many of them looked away nervously, desperately trying to avoid her watchful gaze. Some of them tried to whistle innocently, as if they didn't hear what Fujiyoshi just said. Others uneasily excused themselves, trying to get away from the situation.

Fujiyoshi forced Ayano's hand away, gripping her wrist tightly. "It doesn't matter! They can listen if they want! I'm going to tell the principal everything anyways!" He looked down, as if in shame. "I just wanted to tell you first…"

Ayano slowly lowered her hand. Her mind raced through everything that she knew.

* * *

" _You know, I wouldn't be surprised if real villains came here and recognized him as a potential ally."_

 _Ayano was surprised. Not because he was here, but because he had chosen this time to come. Ayano and Mei were the first ones to sign up for time slots in the Development Studio and training grounds. There was no way Fujiyoshi had failed to see that she would be the only one here at this time._

" _Just…Just shut up! Why do you have to make this so difficult for me!"_

 _He had left all of his belongings in the studio. One of which, included his current project. A red light was blinking on the surface of the metal._

" _Believe what you want. I'm just telling the truth. How do you think we knew you were going to be at U.A. at exactly that time and how do you think we knew you were going to be alone?"_

* * *

Ayano's eyes darted all over Fujiyoshi. "So, you were working for them from the time of the incident at USJ?" He quickly looked up at her, the shock and fear in his eyes very evident. She continued. "The machine you left in the Development Studio right before I got kidnapped…I suppose that was some sort of signal for the villains? Or perhaps a jamming device that allowed them to bypass security?"

"…You…You knew all along?" The boy shakily breathed out.

"I had my suspicions, but…" She trailed off. Fujiyoshi grimaced. "But what? You had no proof, so you didn't say anything?"

Ayano furrowed her brows. She looked like she was offended that he would assume such a thing. "That was most definitely not the case. I had my suspicions that you may have been working for the villains, but I believed it to be against your will."

Once again, Fujiyoshi was shocked. "W-What?! Why would you think that? Literally everything I've ever done should make you hate me! Why would you take my side?! Why would you defend me?!"

* * *

" _That has no bearing on his will. I am certain that you must hold something against him, if he even did do the things you are suggesting."_

" _You're really grasping at strings here, you know. You've got some faith in a guy you said you don't like."_

" _I may dislike him, but that does not mean I cannot have rational judgments. Fujiyoshi Yuudai is not the kind of boy you say he is."_

* * *

Ayano looked at him with her normally impassive face. "It is true that I may dislike you, but that does not mean I cannot have rational judgments." She repeated what she told the villains. "Just as I stated before, your disagreeable attitude is due to your past and is not attributable to your true feelings. You are not the kind of person who would agree to work with villains. At least, not of our own free will."

Fujiyoshi just stared at her, not knowing in the slightest what to say. He gave a small breathy laugh that soon turned into a full-on cackle. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!

He fell to the ground, sitting with his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. "You! You…You're incredible. You know that?" He peered through his fingers and up at her after his question.

She raised a brow at him. "I simply make my judgments based on observations and facts. That is hardly incredible."

He shook his head. "No, you are. I don't know how you do it." He looked up at her again. "How can you have so much faith in me?"

She kneeled so that she could meet his eyes on the same level. "Well, if you absolutely will not take my words earlier for truth, I would say that you coming here is an excellent indicator of your personality."

At his confused gaze, she elaborated. "The fact that you were so distraught about your actions that you felt the need to come over here and explain it to me tells me enough. Even if you are not completely innocent, your actions here at least show that you have some semblance of justice."

Fujiyoshi sighed, looking down again. "Clearly not as much as you though…"

Ayano furrowed her brows again. "Whether or not a person has morals has nothing to do with the next person. Comparing yourself to me does not change that you know the difference between right and wrong."

He looked at her with disbelief once again. There was no way she was this nice of a person! If not nice, then naïve! He decided to let it go for now, seeing as they were going around in circles. He needed to do what he came here for.

"The League of Villains…they came to me before the attack on USJ, just like you said. They looked into my past just like you did. They knew everything about my father, and how he trained me. About how my quirk was not suited for becoming a hero."

He stared at Ayano, making sure to meet her eyes when he continued. "But they didn't make the same conclusion that you did. You saw right through me! I never hated heroes! I wanted to be one for the longest time! But I ended up finding something I wanted to do even more than becoming a hero. Something that my dad didn't accept."

He gave a small laugh, thinking on what Ayano had told him before. "It's just like you said. You were right about all of it! The villains…they thought the complete opposite. They thought I was like them—that I hated heroes because my quirk was rejected. So, they came to me and asked me to join them."

"Obviously, I declined the offer! There's no way I would work with villains! B-But what could I have done? They threatened me! My mom…my dad…the rest of my family...my friends…everyone! I didn't know what to do! I-I couldn't fight all of them! I didn't even know how many there were!"

He was breathing more heavily, remembering their threats. The fear was coming back to him. He took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking again. "I accepted, and for a while, everything was fine. They didn't make me do anything that bad. Just some information gathering about U.A. and the faculty. For a long time, I thought that these guys were just all talk because they hadn't done anything for so long. Then, the USJ incident happened. When I heard about it, I was so scared. These guys were serious, and I was involved!"

"The reason why I was such a jerk to you all this time…I guess I was just jealous. You had everything that I wanted!" He paused, shaking his head. "No, that's not right. You were everything that I wanted to _be_. So, I was mean to you. I thought that if I was an asshole and made you hate me, then it'd make me feel better. But it didn't! Not only did you not hate me, you even supported me!"

"You knew what you wanted. You had your goals set from the beginning and you didn't let anyone give you any shit for it. The complete opposite of me—someone who took the cowardly route for everything. For my father…for the villains…"

Ayano finally spoke up. "You are _not_ a coward, Fujiyoshi Yuudai. You were threatened by the villains. You were only protecting yourself and the ones you love."

"Well, did that stop you?!" He shouted in response, the frustration getting to him. "You were kidnapped and _tortured_! They did way more to you than they ever did to me! And yet, you fought until the very end! Even the support items you made for them were your way of fighting back! That's something I never even came close to doing!"

"That does not mean I do not regret my actions and that does not mean that I stayed true to myself either." Ayano firmly denied his allegations. He looked at her with complete confusion.

Ayano glanced at Bakugou, thinking about her regrets.

* * *

" _What the fuck was that shoddy performance?!"_

" _I don't know what fucking game you were playing, but is that what you call 'aiming for the top'?!"_

 _She didn't show it, but Ayano was ashamed. She had already felt disappointed about her actions earlier, but seeing Midoriya's determination to be number one was a slap in the face. For someone who had such strong convictions as her, she sure wasn't showing it. Bakugou's words were entirely justified. She needed to follow what she preached._

" _If that's your attitude, and if you care about her this much, then why not just pretend that we'd won you over? I don't understand."_

" _If I'm not feeling something, I ain't gonna lie about it. I'm not in the mood to hang around this boring dump for much longer, and I'm taking her with me."_

* * *

If Fujiyoshi thought that Ayano always fought to the end and always stayed true to herself, then Bakugou completely outclassed her. People may think that he is simple-minded, but his way of doing things is the way that lets him be the most true to himself.

He truly does what he wants, and doesn't let anybody else give him shit for it.

There were so many instances that Ayano deviated from her true self—even if only a little—and she regretted every single one of them. Looking at Bakugou and comparing herself to him, it made everything so clear. All of her flaws and all of his strengths.

She assumed that this was probably how Fujiyoshi was feeling towards her, and she suddenly realized why he was so frustrated with himself. He was just like her. He was feeling the guilt of all the things he could've done but didn't. Just like Bakugou did for her, Ayano would do for him. She needed to pull him out of this way of thinking.

She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Fujiyoshi. There is no reason for you to feel guilty. Yes, you _could have_ fought them, but at what cost? Your life? How would your friends feel about that? Your family? Do you honestly think that your dead body would be better than you alive?"

He bit his lip in frustration, but didn't answer her. At his silence, she continued. "Bad people do not feel guilt. Especially not to the degree that you are feeling. Do not let yourself be consumed by this."

"Then do something! Get mad at me! Get angry! Hit me! Anything! I don't deserve compassion from you!" He begged her. Ayano just shook her head at him. "I am not going to do that."

"Sasaki, please! I need this! I can't get off scot-free like this! I can't accept that!" At his insistence, Ayano raised her hand. Fujiyoshi quickly shut his eyes, bracing for impact.

He quickly opened them again upon feeling her hand gently resting on the top of his head. "I am not going to hit you. Fujiyoshi-san, you did nothing wrong and nothing is going to change my mind about that."

The boy hung his head. Just how many times could she surprise him today? Just like always, she did what she wanted without letting anyone else tell her different.

He brushed her hand away. "Alright, fine! It doesn't matter. I'm going to tell the principal, anyways." He was sure that he would receive some sort of punishment from the school.

"Ah, yes. We should do that." Ayano remarked. Fujiyoshi grew confused. Was she going to turn him in? Well, he was going to do that anyways, but at least he would be getting what he wanted: Ayano getting mad at him rather than sympathizing with him.

"We need the school to figure out some way to protect you as well as your family. Considering all that has happened, the villains will surely try to contact you again. We have to take the proper measures in order to counteract this. Perhaps transferring your family to an undisclosed location or a new security system…" She began mumbling to herself, thinking of ways to protect Fujiyoshi and his family.

Once again, her actions were astounding. This was not what Fujiyoshi was expecting at all. He laughed in disbelief for what seemed like the tenth time. "I can't believe you…Just stop…Please, just stop." He said through his humorless laughter.

"…I can punish you in some way if you genuinely insist. If that is what you are into." Ayano joked, although it did not exactly come off as a joke with that poker face of hers.

Some of the 1-A students tried holding back their laughter. The sound of Tsuyu's tongue was heard slapping Mineta for getting too excited at Ayano's comment.

The brown-haired girl lifted up two fingers in a peace sign. "Two weeks…Since all of the students are now living in the dorms, we have much easier access to the Development Studio. As a result of the increasing demand, the Support Department has required us to sign up for time slots. The time they have allowed us to sign up for, however, is simply not sufficient. So, I want two weeks of your time slots."

Fujiyoshi stared at her. She couldn't be serious. At his bewilderment, Ayano raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Is that not enough of a punishment? Three weeks?"

"I…I…Y-You know what, yeah! Three weeks is fine! That's perfect!" He relented, seeing as she was serious. He just couldn't win against her.

"Let us go to the principal's office then, shall we?" Ayano turned around to walk through the main entrance, when she felt a tug at her wrist.

Fujiyoshi had stopped her, forcing her to look at him. "Sasaki, I…Thank you…Thank you so much…"

"…I have done nothing that requires your thanks." He smiled at that, beginning to understand that he should expect the unexpected from her.

He took both of her hands in his, gripping them tightly. "No. Really, thank you." They stared at each other for a few moments before Bakugou interrupted.

"HEY, FUCKER! YOU GONNA GO TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE OR NOT?!" He tore Fujiyoshi away from Ayano, shoving him towards the door.

Ayano just smiled, shaking her head and following them out.


	43. Chapter 43

Class 1-A arrived at Gamma Gym. In the ten days left of Summer Break and until the next semester starts, the students would be tasked with honing their quirks and creating new super moves.

However, upon their arrival, the class was met with an already occupied Gamma Gym. Cementoss had already created several different forms of terrain, and many of the Class 1-H students were seen. They were either sparring with each other or were testing out their support items themselves.

As Class 1-A and the teachers entered the premises, Junk Master and Ayano turned around to greet them. "Well, this is certainly becoming a familiar experience!" Junk Master exclaimed, referring to the many other times that Class 1-A would walk in on Class 1-H's training. Ayano slightly bowed to the teachers in acknowledgement as Aizawa raised his hand in a simple wave.

Glancing down at the watch on her wrist, she mumbled, "I suppose it is about time…" Reaching into her utility belt, she pulled out a moderately sized sphere. Activating it, she wound her arm back and flung it straight up into the air. Upon reaching its maximum height, it exploded and released several flashes of light.

Acting as a signal for the students, Class 1-H gathered around Junk Master and Ayano. "Well, that's everyone! We'll get out of your hair now, Aizawa." Junk Master said before Ayano raised her hand. "If I may propose a suggestion…"

Her teacher nodded at her to go on. "Many of us here assisted in creating the costumes of Class 1-A. If they are to improve their quirks and create new super moves, I would imagine that they also may need improvements on their costumes. Our input could also aid them in thinking of those super moves."

"I believe now would be a perfect opportunity, seeing as we are all already here. Of course, this is not a binding assignment. For those of you who wish to return to the Development Studio or the dorms to work on your own personal projects, you are completely free to do so." She looked up at Junk Master expectantly.

The man glanced at Aizawa and the other teachers. "I have no problems with that! As long as it's fine with you guys!"

Aizawa nodded his head. "As long as it's not bothering my students. Like you said, it would be a good opportunity for them too."

Murmurs of excitement proceeded among both of the classes. Those of Class 1-H that wanted to stay and discuss costume adjustments immediately went up to the Class 1-A student that they worked with before. Others went up to Junk Master and Ayano eagerly. "Aya-chan! Do you think you could help me with this?" Several of her classmates surrounded her, hoping for some advice. She was more than happy to help.

There were other Class 1-H students who wished to work on their gadgets privately. This included Fujiyoshi Yuudai.

Noticing that he was about to leave, Ayano called out to him. He turned around, raising an eyebrow in anticipation. "Your new support item…you should consider using tungsten instead of titanium." She recommended.

The boy hesitated, his lips wriggling in thought. "I think titanium is the best choice…but I'll think about your suggestion." They still had their disagreements, but they were certainly more civil about it.

After the whole League of Villains ordeal and Fujiyoshi's confessions, the two of them had forgone their previous hostility towards each other. Their relationship was now more akin to one of rivalry, similar to what she had with Mei.

Of course, Fujiyoshi was clearly not as open or shameless as Mei, but it was a good rivalry nonetheless. What she had with Mei and what she had with Fujiyoshi is something that many people go their whole lives without experiencing.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment longer. Eventually, they both gave each other a small smile and a decisive nod of acknowledgement. They went their separate ways, Ayano going back to helping her classmates and Fujiyoshi going back to the dorms.

Aizawa walked up to Junk Master, the two of them observing Ayano's actions. "How is she?"

Her homeroom teacher sighed. "Definitely much better…but there's still something missing in her." Aizawa glanced at him, looking for an explanation.

The burly man's concern was beginning to increase the sharpness of his features. "She's perfectly fine when it comes to making support items. Capture items, defense items, stealth items, surveillance items, you name it. When it comes to weapons though…items that cause physical harm…" He shook his head, not even wanting to finish his sentence.

"She doesn't have a panic attack or an episode or anything, which is good. It's just…it's like she refuses to even acknowledge their existence. She wants absolutely nothing to do with them." The man grit his teeth, ashamed that he could do nothing to help his student get over this hurdle. Aizawa pat the man's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "She just needs time." He reassured him.

Their conversation did not go unnoticed by a certain blonde.

His brows furrowed deeply, anger and concern seeping into him. Looking back at Ayano, he saw that she was even approached by some of his own classmates.

"Aya-chan!" Greeted an enthusiastic Kaminari. Since when had he gotten so close to her?! First Kirishima and now him?!

"I was wondering if you could make me a weapon tha—" "I refuse." She cut him off, immediately turning away to help one of her classmates. "You didn't even let me finish!" The electric boy wailed, completely baffled by her response. He was sure that she'd be ecstatic about creating more support items! Well, as ecstatic as her face would show.

"I did not need to. I still refuse." She gave him one of her usual deadpan stares, but there seemed to be something a little off about it. It seemed much colder than he remembered.

Kirishima tried backing up his friend. "Hey, Aya-chan! It wouldn't hurt to just hear what he has to say, right?" Kaminari brightened at that. "Yeah! I think you'd totally love to make th—OW! What the hell was that for, Bakugou?!"

The ash blond had shoved the two boys aside, making room for himself. Except, it was more like he punched Kaminari's shoulder rather than shoved him out of the way. "Out of my way, dunce face." "Will you stop calling me that!?"

He made his way towards Ayano without any further acknowledgement of his classmate. Without a word even to her, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her away. Ayano was about to protest when she saw the look on his face, understanding dawning on her.

Her strange behavior was, no doubt, due to the words that Kaminari used. The conversation Bakugou heard their homeroom teachers having only served to confirm this.

The second she heard the word 'weapon,' her head went through all the negative thoughts. Bakugou knew that was what set her off. He saw the slight twitch of her face upon hearing that word. The nearly unnoticeable darkening of her eyes. The unusually quick dismissal of the idea.

He was angry. Not at her, but at himself. Angry that he was the reason for all of this. Angry that he still let her feel this way about the support items she used to love making so much. Angry that he couldn't help her – hadn't helped her all this time.

Eventually, they reached their destination. They were perched atop one of the artificial cliffs made by Cementoss. Several of the rocks were chipped or damaged in some way, displaying the results of Class 1-H's testing.

Bakugou flexed his hand underneath the thick glove. Beginning his self-training, he blasted at some of the surrounding rocks.

Leaning against one of the rock slabs, Ayano watched him with careful eyes as he darted here and there. His movements were quick, but far from precise. His anger was beginning to show itself in his training, causing his movements to be more reckless than usual.

"Are you not going to call me pathetic?" She asked in a rather quiet voice, although he had heard her perfectly clearly. He immediately stopped his movements. "There's nothing pathetic about you." He mumbled, not looking at her. His fists clenched and his jaw tightened.

She could never be pathetic to him. Not after what she went through.

Ayano didn't respond. She just stared at him. When he looked back at her, she averted her eyes. It was as if she couldn't meet his eyes. As if she thought she didn't have the right to.

He could see the shame in them and it angered him. Once again, he was angry at himself and not her.

There was nothing he could do though. He was never good with words, and that was especially true around her. It seemed like all he ever did was either hurt, disappoint, or anger her.

It was like that when they were children, and it was still like that now.

Then and now, he turned to one of the only things he was good at: Violence.

"I want to increase the scale of my explosions." He declared, causing Ayano to look at him hesitantly. She immediately looked away again after seeing his determined gaze.

Her brows furrowed. This was exactly what she was afraid of. Having made his costume, of course he would come to her if he ever needed any adjustments. She had hoped that it would never come to that, but Bakugou was always trying to improve. Always looking to be the number one.

She just couldn't help him with that. Not anymore, at least.

His costume is by far one of the most destructive things she has ever created. She wouldn't take it away from him. Not again. But there was no way she would ever work on it.

He was going to be a hero. She knew that, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Bakugou I really do not t—" She was interrupted by Bakugou's fist making contact with the rock slab behind her, his fist merely an inch away from the left side of her face.

"You're not making me a weapon, okay?! You're just modifying my costume! You're making something to help me use my quirk! It's not going to be a weapon! It's a support item! Okay?!" He growled at her, his face directly in front of hers. Even then, she refused to look at him.

Growing more frustrated, Bakugou continued. "Didn't you say that you'd reach the top some day?! How are you going to do that if you can't even do this for me!? You picked me that day, remember? You said that only you could make a costume for me! A costume that was best for me! You said that you would be the one to help me reach the top! So prove it!"

The frown on Ayano's face deepened. She knew that his anger wasn't entirely directed at her. Despite his rough speech, she knew that this was his way of comforting her. It was far from gentle, but it was the only way he knew how to do things.

He knew that she was still struggling over going back to how things were. He knew that she needed help. This was his way of doing it.

Ayano sighed, her hand running through her hair and jostling it around. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she willingly looked up into his eyes. "What did you have in mind?"

For a second, Ayano thought she saw the smallest of smiles grace Bakugou's face.

"I wanted to make my explosions stronger, but I don't want to have to wait for the bracers to fully fill up just to do that. The gloves make my hands sweat more, so it makes the explosions stronger over time. I want something that can make my explosions stronger right from the start." He explained, detaching the grenadier bracer from one of his arms and setting it on the ground.

He stretched out his arm, palm up. Ayano took his hand, poking and prodding at the glove. She carefully inspected it, noticing that it had held up quite well for all the times that he's used it. For a moment, a sense of pride filled her.

While she was inspecting the glove, Bakugou was carefully examining her face. She was clearly reluctant at first, but gradually, she became more and more engrossed in aspects of the costume.

He saw a fire kindling within her. Her eyes were slowly returning to the ones she used to have. The ones full of mirth at the prospect of doing something she truly loved. Of creating support items.

It wasn't quite there yet, but it was definitely somewhere. She had the passion. She always did. She just needed to find it again.

Ayano had saved him countless times before.

This time, he only hoped that he'd be able to do the same for her.


	44. Chapter 44

_Everything was in ruins, debris falling all around her. Buildings were decimated, cars smashed, and roads torn apart. Everything was covered in smoke and flames, the thick fog surrounding and permeating her lungs. The far-off screams of civilians rang through her ears._

 _She looked left and right, searching for signs of life. Her eyes darted here and there, her breath growing more and more rapid by the second. Each thing she saw caused her to breath harder. She didn't know whether the tears in her eyes was due to the smoke, her fear, her sadness, or a combination of all three._

 _Bodies…So many bodies…_

 _Izuku…Mei…Kirishima…Fujiyoshi…Todoroki…_

 _Even her other classmates and her homeroom teacher._

 _They were all there, lying motionlessly on the ground among the rubble, blood pooling around them._

 _It was especially chilling that they were all face-up. Their desolate eyes staring straight at her._

 _She tried moving towards them, but her body wouldn't listen to her mind. It was like she was surrounded by water. She couldn't move like she wanted to, and air was becoming scarce._

 _She quickly shut her eyes, unable to bear looking at their lifeless bodies any longer. Suddenly she realized that somebody was missing from the piles of dead bodies._

 _Bakugou Katsuki_

 _She opened her eyes again, stomaching the bile that was rapidly rising. Her head snapped from side to side, desperately trying to find a head of ash blond hair, yet also not wanting to find him at all._

 _An explosion went off nearby. She knew that sound from anywhere. It was one of his._

 _Unlike before, her body actually listened to her. She still moved much too slowly for her liking though. Dodging around all of the falling debris, her lungs started to burn from all the smoke._

 _She couldn't give up now. Not when he was so close._

 _Finally coming to her destination, she was instantly struck with a wave of relief. It was short-lived, however, as she saw how battered and bruised he was._

 _He was clearly outnumbered, facing against the entirety of the League of Villains by himself. She immediately rushed towards him to help, but was stopped by an unknown force. Just like before, her body wouldn't listen to her. It was like invisible vines had wrapped around her body, preventing her from moving any further._

 _She screamed, hoping to draw their attention to her for even a second so that he could have some sort of opening against them._

 _It was no use though. None of them had heard her. Not even him. It was like she didn't even exist._

 _She screamed and struggled, refusing to believe she could do nothing._

 _Even Bakugou's fighting prowess was useless against the sheer numbers of the League of Villains. Several of them were pinning him down, each of his limbs restrained._

 _The blood drained from her face as she saw Shigaraki Tomura slowly making his way toward the blond, his hand outstretched._

 _She struggled even harder, fearing the worst._

 _As the villain hovered his hand just above Bakugou's face, his head turned towards her. She froze, a chill going down her spine._

 _There was no severed hand covering his face. His manic smile was in full view. Her eyes focused on his moving, dry, cracked lips. She read them carefully, her expression growing more and more desperate as his fingers touched Bakugou's skin, quickly degrading it._

" _ **KATSUKI!**_ _"_

* * *

Ayano woke up with a shout. Quickly sitting up, she gasped for air. Her skin was drenched with sweat, but her body was completely devoid of warmth.

She placed her head in her hands, trying to calm down. Her breathing was quick, showing no signs of returning to normal. She could hear the erratic beating of her heart as it thumped heavily against her chest and pounded through her ears.

With her breathing still a little fast but now somewhat manageable, she looked to her right, towards her desk. One of Bakugou's grenadier bracers laid on the surface.

Flashes of her nightmare went through her mind. She shut her eyes, hoping to force the thoughts out.

She looked anywhere besides there, but the rest of her room was shrouded with her creations. Each one eliciting a painful memory.

Her breathing was increasing dangerously fast. She quickly got out of bed, pulling the covers with her.

She couldn't be in this room any longer.

* * *

Bakugou laid on his bed, just staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. His face held its typical scowl, although it was a bit more prominent than usual.

His mind was focused on Ayano.

She had agreed to improve his costume, but it was with much reluctance.

The pain in her eyes. The hesitance. The shame. They were things he never thought he'd see in her. Things he never _wanted_ to see in her.

He was frustrated. More frustrated than he's ever been before. Boy, would he like to punch something right now and just let loose.

Suddenly, he sat up. He could've sworn that he heard his name just now.

More importantly, he could've sworn that it was _her_ voice.

He bolted out the door and immediately ran to the girls' side of the floor. He reached Ayano's room in no time, grateful that they lived on the same floor.

He had planned on rushing in as soon as he could but seeing how quiet everything was, he hesitated. The hallways were entirely empty with mostly everyone being asleep. Everything was tidy and not a scratch was to be seen.

He stood in front of her door, not hearing a single thing.

Was he mistaken? Had he just imagined it? It was her voice though. He knew it was!

He debated on whether or not he should knock on the door when he heard her footsteps inside. Slightly panicking, he ran down the hallway to hide behind the corner. There was something wrong, but there was no way she would tell him if he appeared so suddenly like this.

Ayano opened her door. She was still wrapped in her covers, taking small and slow steps. His eyes followed her as she moved down the hall and towards the elevator. Where could she be going?

He stared at the wall above the elevator doors. The markings showed that the elevator was going down from the current fourth floor. Each number lit up as the elevator passed that floor, eventually stopping on the number one.

He took the stairs to be less noticeable. He reached the first floor, a sense of unease flowing through him. All of the lights remained off. He walked slowly through the halls, careful not to bump into anything while he let his eyes adjust to the darkness. Fortunately, the first floor had many windows to let the moonlight shine through.

He looked out one of them to see if Ayano was in the courtyard. No such luck.

He passed through the rest of the floor, searching the mess hall, laundry room, and others. He even silently waited outside the girls' baths and bathrooms, listening for any sounds. They were unoccupied.

He was getting more antsy when finally, he saw the back of her head. Her characteristic, uneven, brown hair just visible above one of the couches in the lounge. From the moonlight, he could see wisps of steam rising in the air above her.

She couldn't possibly be working on something here, could she?

He slowly walked in her direction, coming up behind her. Looking from above her, he saw that she was sitting wrapped in her covers and holding a mug filled with some white liquid. "Warm milk? Really?" He asked rhetorically.

Unsurprisingly, Ayano was not surprised by his sudden appearance. "Drinking warm milk can help one's body to relax, which aids in the sleeping process. It also has tryptophan, the essential amino acid for making serotonin that gets converted to melatonin, which is the hormone that aids in maintaining our sleep cycles. Although, a regular serving of milk does not have nearly enough tryptophan to produce a notable effect on sleep. So, I added some supplements to the beverage. Would you like some?" She asked, motioning to the small kettle placed on the coffee table.

Bakugou ignored her question, choosing instead to comment on her habits. "You've never had sleeping problems before." It was a well veiled and subtle accusation.

She took a sip from her mug. "…I suppose there is a first time for everything."

His eyebrows furrowed. She still hadn't turned to look at him, so he took a seat next to her. He left a little bit of room between them on the couch.

He stared at her profile, seeing just how tired she looked. He started at her hair. It was unkempt, revealing that she had just gotten out of bed and hadn't bothered to fix it.

The skin beneath her eyes was darker than the rest of her, revealing how little sleep she was getting. Her eyes looked so empty.

His eyes travelled further down, resting upon her cheeks. He just barely saw the tear stains on them. Upon closer inspection, he saw that her cheeks were slightly hollowed. She had been losing weight, and a significant amount too, it seemed.

His concern for her only increased, but now that he was here, he had no idea what to do. What _could_ he do? The two of them sat in silence with Ayano quietly sipping at her supplemented warm milk.

"I had a dream…or rather, a nightmare." Bakugou's eyes widened, not expecting her to be the first to speak. Especially not about something like that. She wasn't supposed to be the type to have nightmares.

"It took place here…well, not here as in the dorms…but here, as in Musutafu." She explained, referring to their current city. Bakugou's eyebrows furrowed further, never seeing her thoughts so disorganized before.

"The city was in shambles. Everything was broken…burning…and I was at the center of it all. The screams…the cries…I heard all of it, but I could do nothing." Her hands tightened on her mug, preparing herself to say the next part. "The next thing I knew, there were bodies all around me. It was our classmates. Our teachers. Our family. All of them were on the ground, beaten and bloody."

She visibly shuddered. "Their eyes…they were dead, but they were all looking at me. Staring. As if I were to blame." Bakugou wanted to protest at that, but she clearly wasn't finished.

"I noticed that the only one missing was you, so I went searching. I heard your quirk in the distance. I followed it, rushing through the broken buildings and the flames, passing by more and more of our fallen classmates. Each and every one of them staring at me as I ran towards you. I found you fighting the League of Villains by yourself. All of them."

She took a deep breath. "I tried running to your side to help you, but something stopped me. Like an invisible wall, or something. My body just would not move. I tried screaming to distract them, but it was like I wasn't even there. Even you could not hold that many people off by yourself. They caught you, and Shigaraki Tomura was preparing to kill you."

"Right before he did…do you know what he said to me?" Her hands tightened even more on the mug, and Bakugou heard a crack. Looking at her hands, her nails and knuckles were turning white from the pressure she was exerting. At this rate, the mug wouldn't stay intact. He quickly grabbed her wrist, tearing the cup away from her before she broke it and hurt herself from the glass.

Looking straight at him, she continued without acknowledging his actions. "He said, 'Thank you for your cooperation.' He _thanked_ me." Bakugou stared at her frantic face. She looked just about ready to cry. "He thanked me…" She repeated, more quietly this time, as if she were in denial.

Her breathing became more rapid, on the verge of hyperventilating. She ripped her arm from his grasp, her hands gripping at her hair. Her shoulders were shaking. "He thanked me…"

Bakugou grabbed her, each hand on her shoulders. Forcing her to look at him, he gently yet urgently shook her back and forth to snap her out of it. "It was just a dream! You would never work with scumbags like them! You'd never make support items for them!"

"I didn't make support items for them!" She shouted back, confusing him. "I didn't make support items for them…but I didn't make any for you either." She looked down, ashamed of herself.

"Everyone died because of me…because I stopped making support items… _weapons_. Nobody had anything to defend themselves with. It was all my fault." Bakugou's hold on her tightened as he prepared to object to that. She stopped him before he could.

"Before you say it again, I know it was just a dream! But it could be a very real possibility. One that I am deathly afraid of." She shook her head, as if to get the possibility out of her mind. "I tried to make myself work on your costume after I woke up. I was so scared that I wanted to prove my dream wrong immediately…but I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it!"

At this point, Ayano had started crying again. "Even after all that, after all of my fear, after everything…I still couldn't do it! I'm so weak!"

She turned away from him, furiously wiping at her eyes. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this! I can't believe I'm crying in front of you again! I'm so pathetic!"

She was suddenly pulled towards him, her face pressed up against his chest. She felt one of his hands wrapping around her waist, and the other one behind her head, pushing her against him. His head lay on top of hers.

"Who's crying, huh?! I don't see a single damn person crying here!" He yelled at her. It was a blatantly obvious lie, but it was also technically the truth. He wasn't _directly_ watching her cry.

This rough action caused Ayano to cry even harder. It was such a simple thing, yet it comforted her so easily.

After a moment, her crying eased down to sniffles. Bakugou cleared his throat. "Look, I can't help you with this. I want to, but I can't. You don't even need my help in the first place! You're not weak. You're not pathetic. You're the complete opposite of those things, and that's why you can get through this on your own. And if you think you can't, then you're wrong! You're already back to making support items. Who cares if you aren't making weapons, yet! It's progress!"

She listened carefully to each and every word. It was so unlike him to hand out compliments like this. Was she really this broken?

"And who said I couldn't fight the League of Villains by myself!? I'm not so weak that I'd let a bunch of fourth-rate villains beat me! You think it's because you couldn't make me support items!? What a joke! That's not gonna matter because I'll become so strong that I won't even need your gear to blow them up!"

She almost laughed at his nearly unfounded confidence. Was this pep talk for her or for him?

"I'll become so strong that I won't need your support items…" He repeated. "…But…I wouldn't mind having them…So get better already!"

He was never the best at words. Even now, when he was trying to comfort her, his speech was so rough and so brazen.

They were the same type of words he always used since they were children.

" _W-Well, I already said a great hero could do that by himself…but…I guess I could help you…test them out…"_

" _Th-That's right! I'll definitely be the number one hero! And the number one hero wouldn't need any support items because I'm already amazing by myself…but…I guess I could…hold onto this for you…"_

" _I told you that I don't need your costume or your help…but if you don't need it…I guess I could…hold onto it for you."_

Those familiar words comforted her more than anything ever could. At the core, he had never changed. Never stopped helping her. Never stopped supporting her.

That fact only made Ayano cry harder. Her tears of relief mixed in with her tears of sadness.

He was giving her hope when she thought she had none. He was so strong, and once again, she decided to lean on his strength. It would still take time, but he was right. She was making progress.

The combination of warm milk, sleep deprivation, and consistent crying had tired her out. Still pressed against Bakugou's chest, Ayano gently smiled, mentally thanking him.

She let the rhythm of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.


	45. Chapter 45

"…really…here…night?" "…that's…scandalous!" "…know…they…together!"

Ayano was drifting into consciousness, faintly hearing the murmurs of the Class 1-A students slowly growing louder.

"IF SHE WAKES UP BECAUSE OF YOU EXTRAS, I'LL BLOW YOU ALL TO PIECES!"

Now, she was fully awake. "Even if they failed to wake me, your shouting certainly did not help the situation." Ayano sighed.

Bakugou stiffened as she sat up, looking away with a scowl and small blush on his face. He had wanted to let her sleep in longer, not only for her own health but also because he had strangely missed her warmth.

He had looked away out of slight embarrassment, but his eyes couldn't help but shift over to Ayano anyways.

When she sat up, she took the blanket with her and it now pooled on her lap. She rubbed at her eyes to fully awaken herself. They were somewhat puffy from the crying that she did last night. Her hair was always a bit unruly since she rarely cared for appearances, but she had a few cowlicks which were telltale signs that her head had laid on his chest the entire night. He looked away again, blushing.

"Oh? What's with that blush, Bakugou?! Don't tell me you guys were doing _other_ things last night?" Kaminari teased.

"Whaaaat! No way! Aya-chan, did you guys really?!" Mina questioned excitedly.

"Oooohhh! The smell of Aya-chan…Let me get closer!" Mineta drooled, inching towards the couch that they were on.

"PISS OFF, YOU PERV! WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Bakugou shouted, fully preparing to use his quirk if they annoyed him any further.

Mineta gasped. "Bakugou! Don't tell me…you couldn't get it up last night!?" With that, the blond finally snapped. He lunged at the small boy, eliciting a terrified shriek from him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Everyone stiffened at the deep and menacing voice of their homeroom teacher. They slowly turned towards him, cowering under his ferocious gaze.

"The dorms separate boys and girls _for a reason_. So, care to tell me what the two of you were doing?" Aizawa demanded.

Ayano immediately got up and walked in front of him. She gave a deep bow. "I deeply apologize for our misconduct. Last night, I…had trouble falling asleep and came to the lounge. In his concern, Bakugou came to comfort me and the two of us wound up falling asleep here. I will assume full responsibility."

"I came down here for myself! Not because of you!" Bakugou shouted, not wanting her to shoulder all of the blame. Ayano lifted her head, continuing while ignoring him. "Please feel free to assign whatever punishment you deem fit." "DON'T IGNORE ME, DAMN IT!"

Aizawa studied her carefully. Her voice and her face held their usual robot-like qualities, but he could tell that certain features of her face were worn. The slight puffiness of her eyes revealed that she had been crying last night. The bags under them disclosed just how little sleep she was getting. Her hollowed cheeks showed her rapid weight loss due to a lack of appetite.

She was struggling. She was _still_ struggling.

The man sighed. "That won't be necessary." Ayano's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Sir, are you sure about that?" She questioned. "I really think it would be more appropriate if you gave me a proper punishment. To set an example, even."

Aizawa almost chuckled. "So rule-abiding…I think you and Iida would be the only type of people to actually ask for punishment like this."

Mineta began drooling again. "Oooohh! She's begging to be punished! She's an 'M,' huh?! Bakugou, you lucky dog!" "SHUT UP!"

Ayano and Aizawa both ignored the explosions going off behind them. "Clearly, you haven't fully recovered. That can be seen as the result of us teachers failing to properly look after your mental health. You didn't do anything that bad, but you're right: rules are rules. I want a written statement of regret by the end of today." He turned around and walked away.

Ayano relaxed, smiling gently. She bowed once more even though he was no longer looking. "I greatly appreciate your consideration. The statement will be finished and delivered to you in a timely manner."

The girl turned around, seeing Bakugou nearly choking Mineta. "Bakugou." She called out, gaining his attention. He looked at her, but one hand was still firmly wrapped around the grape boy's neck with his other hand held above his face, his quirk activated in quick pops.

"Thank you." She said quietly, but it was incredibly impactful with that gentle smile of hers. Without waiting for a response, she walked off to the bathrooms to go about her daily morning routine.

His classmates were also shocked, seeing as they had never really seen Ayano express anything but her poker face. Mineta was the first to break the shocked silence, just barely managing to choke out a comment. "Were you really that good last night, Bakugou? Damn you! So lucky…"

Those were his last words, as the blond promptly beat him to near death.

* * *

Bakugou exited the elevator, about to go to his room when he took a brief glance down the girls' side of the floor. Midoriya, Mina, and Uraraka were all crowded just outside of Ayano's door.

"What are you fuckers doing?" He growled out. The three of them flinched, turning to him with sheepish looks.

"A-Ah! I-I just wanted to come talk to Aya-chan and check up on her. Uraraka-san and Ashido-san noticed that I was just standing out here since they live on the same floor." Midoriya quickly responded.

"Then why are you just standing here, huh?! You got some sort of problem!?" Bakugou snarled. The green-haired boy flinched again, waving his hands about. "N-No! I-It's just…It feels really hard to go in there right now…"

Mina nodded, backing him up. "Yeah! Yeah! Aya-chan's emitting a super scary, murderous aura!"

The door to her room was cracked open a bit, so Bakugou took the liberty of peeking inside with them. True enough, Ayano was sitting at her desk with a dark aura around her. One could almost physically see the menacing and gloomy aura around her.

Bakugou frowned, deciding to take action. He harshly kicked the door, forcing it to open all the way and causing the other three students to shriek. With all the noise, Ayano finally noticed them. "Can I help you?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

Upon entering, Bakugou kicked the door closed before the other three could tag along. They could hear Mina protesting and Midoriya trying to calm her down. Eventually, the trio left.

The blond walked over to her perfectly made bed and plopped down onto it. He didn't say anything, just waited for her. Seeing his expectant eyes, Ayano heavily sighed. "I can't do it…" She said, disgruntled.

Bakugou tensed, thinking that she still wasn't over her nightmare from last night. She saw his tension and immediately placated him. "Relax. The feeling is different from last night. It is not that I do not want to."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "What's stopping you then?" Ayano frowned, her hand rubbing her temple. "A mental block, most likely." She responded.

"You have heard of writer's block, right? It occurs when an author becomes unable to continue with their work. Some people say it is not actually a real condition and that it is something that exists only in your head. A sort of pre-emptive defense against judgement, if you will. I have a feeling that I am experiencing a mental block of the same caliber." She placed a hand on the grenadier bracer on top of the table. "It is not that I do not want to…I just _can't_ …"

She had a completely different look from last night. There wasn't a shred of terror in her. Only frustration. It was the same kind of frustrated face she always used to have when they were younger. When she couldn't get one of her creations to work like she wanted them to. When she was having trouble tweaking her gadgets.

Bakugou felt a small sense of pride in him, seeing her like that.

He abruptly got up and tugged at her wrist, forcing her up with him. He dragged her out of the room, not letting go. "Where are we going?" She asked. "Out." Was his only response.

She blinked. "Out? Could you be a little more specific?" He just continued pulling her along. "Just follow me, okay?!"

Ayano decided to just let him have his way until she realized that he was leading her outside. Not just outside, but completely out of the U.A. campus. "Bakugou, I do not believe this is a wise decision." She voiced her concerns. He scoffed. "It's fine! It's before curfew, isn't it?"

She sighed at him. "Be that as it may, I do not think it wise for specifically _us_ to just waltz wherever we please. I am sure that out of everyone in the school, the two of us are the ones that should not leave the school the most."

"Will you stop whining already?! It's not like we'll be doing anything dangerous, and those fourth-rate villains have another thing coming if they think they can mess with us!" After they had made it past the gates of U.A., Bakugou let go of Ayano's wrist.

She felt a strange sense of disappointment at that.

Bakugou continued walking, so Ayano followed after him. She fell into place beside him, matching him step for step.

Neither of them spoke, but they were both content with the comfortable silence that settled between them. They walked in no particular direction, simply following the roads and listening to the sounds of the bustling city.

She greatly appreciated Bakugou's actions. She knew that he deliberately took her out just so she could clear her head.

Suddenly, a young boy's voice shrieked, "Look! Look! It's Big Sis Aya!" Immediately after, a flock of children excitedly tackled the girl. Not having expected this sudden force, Ayano was unable to brace for the impact and she fell back while breaking the fall of the children. "HEY! BRATS! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

Ayano raised a hand to silence him. "It's fine, Bakugou. These kids are just excited to see me is all." The children bounced around her eagerly.

"Yeah! Yeah! We missed you Aya-nee! Where have you been!?" "Yeah! You promised to visit us a lot but then you stopped!" "We thought something happened to you!" They cried out.

"Was it because of him?! This scary guy!?" One of them pointed up at Bakugou. The blond exploded. "HAAHH!? WHAT'D YOU SAY!"

This prompted crying from several of the kids. "It's because of him, isn't it Aya-nee! Is he bullying you?! He's trying to take you away from us!"

Ayano glared at him. "Bakugou! Apologize!" "Wha—Me?!" At her deadly gaze, he relented, although begrudgingly. He mumbled an apology.

Turning to the crying children, she addressed them. "Everyone! You should apologize too. Bakugou is a friend of mine. I have not been visiting because of all the school work I have to do. It is not because of him."

At her reassurances, they stopped crying and turned towards the blond. "Really? Then we misunderstood…" They all gave him a respectful bow. "Sorry!" They shouted in unison, a couple of sniffles still slipping through.

Bakugou just clicked his tongue, mentally remarking on how well trained Ayano had them.

He watched on as the children talked animatedly, trying to catch Ayano up on everything she had missed. He stared at the scene as she gave rare, cute smiles while interacting with them.

As he was observing, he realized something peculiar about these kids. All of them had some part of their body modified with a prosthetic.

Eventually, the children said their goodbyes to Ayano. They left, waving and smiling at her until they were no longer in sight. "Who the hell were they?" Bakugou gruffly asked.

"Children I worked with during my internship. It was during the same time that you and all the other Hero Course students were doing your internships." The children had already left, but Ayano was still staring at the spot they were last at.

"Did you have something to do with their prosthetics?" He questioned. Ayano nodded. "I worked with the Matsumoto Prosthetics and Orthotics Manufacturing Company, one of the leading companies in the production of prosthetics."

Bakugou raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know non-support companies scouted U.A. students from the Sports Festival."

She shrugged. "They don't. _I_ requested _them_. Just as you suspect, only support companies use the Sports Festival to scout potential interns. It is only logical. If these students are going to U.A., of course they will want to work for a support company in the future. I, on the other hand, felt a bit differently."

"Even if I want to work for a support company in the future, that does not mean I have to restrict myself to only working on things geared towards that goal. Before U.A., I had made many different things. More often than not, they had nothing to do with heroes or heroics. They were just things designed to help people and make their lives easier. I suppose I wanted to…go back to my roots, so to speak. To remind myself why I was doing all of this."

"I received special permission from the school, so long as the Matsumoto Company agreed as well. Fortunately, they did. Those kids all bear prosthetics that I personally worked on. They were all part of this program that the company took part in. It was to make customized prosthetics to children in orphanages who would otherwise be unable to afford them. Even after my internship, I visited them at the orphanage every week. However, with all of the recent events, I…neglected to do so lately."

Bakugou studied her. There was this indescribable emotion on her face. She continued staring at the spot the children were last seen in, a strange tenderness swirling in her eyes. She suddenly shouted nothing in particular, surprising him. It was a short sound of frustration. "What the hell is up with you?!" He yelled.

"I am in a troubling predicament…" She bit the inside of her cheek as she frowned. "Ahhh…I want to go back…Go back and work…" There was a fire in her eyes that excited even him.

He smirked. "What?! Then let's go back!" He said quickly, excited to see her returning back to her old self. He went back in the direction of the school, but stopped when he realized she wasn't walking with him. "What's the hold up!?"

She mumbled. "The troubling predicament…I want to go back but…I also want to stay. I had hoped to continue our walk a little while longer…" "WHA—!" Bakugou couldn't believe what he was hearing! She said something that embarrassing without even thinking about it! He felt his face growing hotter by the second.

Not wanting her to see this, he instantly turned around while pulling at her wrist again. He started dragging her with him to the school. "The answer's obvious, isn't it?! We have to go back! Who knows when you'll be in the mood to work again, idiot! After that, we can go on as many and as long of a walk you want, alright?!"

Ayano just let him pull her forward as she stared at the back of his head. She couldn't see his face, but there was no way she missed the bright red crawling over his ears.

* * *

It was the dead of night when Bakugou awoke to use the bathroom. On his way back to his room, he noticed that a light was still shining beneath Ayano's door. Reaching it, he knocked. Although it wasn't all that forceful, the door was already slightly open so the knocking opened it further.

He was about to say something when he realized Ayano was asleep at her desk. She was perfectly upright, but her head drooped slightly. The amazing part was that she was still in the position of working on his grenadier bracer. A screwdriver was in her hand, and it looked like she was in the process of using it.

He laughed. "Pfft! Only you would be capable of this. This is dangerous, you idiot." He remarked as he gently pulled the screwdriver out of her hand, careful not to wake her up.

He had intended to carry her to her bed, but he couldn't help but just stare at her. He squatted a little to be more eye level with her. Despite how worn her features were, she still looked so peaceful.

So beautiful…

Right when his hand was about to touch her cheek, Ayano's eyes popped open. He was so startled that he almost fell backwards, his hand darting behind him to help with his balance. "…Bakugou…?" She muttered, the drowsiness evident in her voice.

"Y-Y-You idiot! What are you doing, falling asleep here?! You're gonna catch a cold!" He hoped that this would distract her enough that she wouldn't remember his hand being so close.

"Ah…" She mindlessly agreed, her sleepiness taking over. "Ah!" She shouted after a realization. "W-What!?" Bakugou shouted back, his heart beating entirely too fast.

"Before I do, I need to take a look at something on the rest of your costume." She demanded.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, sure, but can't it wait until tomorrow!?" Ayano shook her head. "You are already here for me to ask permission, and you are obviously not busy. Besides, was it not you who said that we will never know when I am in the mood to work again?"

The boy clicked his tongue. She got him there.

They went to his room, and Ayano realized it was the first time she had been in it. She waited at the doorway while he went to pull out his costume's suitcase.

While she was waiting, she glanced all around his room. Just like hers, there were not as many decorations or belongings as their original rooms at their respective houses. There was no need to bring everything with them to U.A., so it was normal to see that his room was emptier than his room back home.

His desk, however, is what really caught her eye. On it, were several little gadgets.

They were all things that she had made for him.

The slingshot inspired by the first time they met…the gloves she had made to help him grip the monkey bars better…the flower bulb she made to help him gauge the strength of his quirk from before the entrance exams…

She stared at them, letting a wave of emotions hit her. All the things that she did for him. All the things that he did for her.

And then it dawned on her…

Bakugou pulled out the suitcase and turned to hand it to her when she started laughing. He tilted his head. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing…Nothing…I'm just laughing at myself for not having realized this sooner…"

He raised an eyebrow at her cryptic response. "For not realizing _what_ sooner?" He pressed.

" **How madly in love with you I am.** "


	46. Chapter 46

_The small, ash blond boy returned home, bringing something back with him. It was the slingshot that girl gave him. What did she say her name was again? Aya? Ayano? He thinks that was it._

 _The slingshot laid still on his palm as he stared at it, remembering her words to him._

" _You said you're going to be the number one hero someday, right? Then, you'll definitely be the most amazing one and I'll make a bunch of support items for you. That slingshot can be the first!"_

 _The boy blushed a little at the memory, but quickly shook his head to try and get rid of the heat on his cheeks. Well of course he was going to be the number one hero! He didn't need some stupid slingshot to help achieve that goal!_

 _But…_

 _It was definitely cool…_

 _He lifted it up again, pulling at the strings. He quickly looked around his room, searching for something to shoot at as well as something to serve as ammunition._

 _He walked over to his chest of toys. Digging through it, he pulled out a handful of large Lego pieces. On his desk, he propped up a few books to use as targets._

 _Taking a Lego piece, he placed it in the slingshot and took aim. Releasing his grip, the piece shot forward and hit the book right in the center._

 _His eyes shined in delight, and he looked at the slingshot in awe. He thought this earlier at the park, but this Ayano was definitely something else to make something like this! He'd never say that aloud though!_

 _Taking another Lego piece, he prepared to shoot at the next book. This time, however, he aimed a bit too high and the piece soared over the book to crash through his window. A huge shattering sound was heard._

 _Bakugou gulped._

" _ **BAKUGOU KATSUKI! YOU COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!**_ _"_

* * *

 _Once again, Bakugou returned home with a new item in his hands. It was a pair of gloves._

 _They weren't just any type of gloves though. It was yet another invention made by Ayano. They seemed to be made out of something she called nanofibers, and they helped to grab onto things like the monkey bars._

 _They were so amazing that even Deku could finish a whole lap on the monkey bars!_

 _At first, he was mad because she was helping that Deku, but that soon changed when she said that they were made for him. The gloves were his and not Deku's!_

 _Looking at the gloves, the young blond smiled triumphantly. Just like with the slingshot, he thought about Ayano's words when she gave him her newest creation._

" _I think you can become a great hero, so I made these to help you!"_

 _A blush creeped onto his face. Growing embarrassed, he threw the gloves onto his desk next to the slingshot._

 _He dashed out of the house, on his way back to the park so he could train on the monkey bars some more._

* * *

 _Yet again, Bakugou returned home with one of Ayano's inventions. This time, he was a teenager._

 _In his palm, sat a metal flower bulb._

 _On his way to school, he crossed paths with the girl and she ended up giving him one of her creations that would help him gauge the strength of his quirk. She said it was supposed to be some sort of 'get well' gift after the sludge incident._

 _As if he needed something like that!_

 _What was with her!? They don't talk for years and she's always by that Deku's side! All of a sudden, she makes him this?!_

 _It didn't make sense!_

 _To be fair, nothing ever made sense with her. Not her weird personality. Not the way she only ever focused on her work. Not how his eyes seemed to follow her wherever she went._

 _To be able to make something like this for him meant that she was still thinking about him all these years. After their falling-out._

 _Even after all these years, he was still thinking about her._

 _He had hurt her. He knew he did._

 _When he found out she was quirkless, his mind just went blank. It was like his whole world shattered. He thought for the longest time that they were the most amazing people, and that it would get even better once she developed her quirk like him._

 _She never did though._

 _For that, he pushed her away. He soon realized that she wasn't amazing because he thought she would develop an amazing quirk._

 _She was amazing because she was Ayano._

 _He had thought about apologizing, but his pride just wouldn't let him. Besides, she seemed to be getting all cozy with that worthless Deku anyways!_

 _Remembering how she always came to the green-haired boy's rescue, Bakugou grew angry. His hand tightened on the metal flower bulb. Stomping over to the trash can, his hand was raised to the air, intent on chucking it in the trash. His arm stilled in the air and began to shake. His knuckles were turning white from the pressure._

 _Eventually, he shouted in frustration, his hand falling to his side._

 _He couldn't do it._

 _Walking back to his desk. He placed the gift onto it, next to the slingshot and the gloves that she made._

 _He had kept them all these years._

 _His mind drifted to her words._

" _The design is based off of the Nasturtium flower. In the language of flowers, the Nasturtium represents conquest or victory in battle…Good luck on the U.A. entrance exam."_

 _Ah, damn it! He was blushing like an idiot again!_

 _Bakugou flopped onto his bed, placing his arm over his eyes._

"… _Fuck…Do you like me or not?" He muttered under his breath._

* * *

" **How madly in love with you I am.** "

"…"

…What did she just say?! He definitely did not hear that correctly…right? There's just no way! Perhaps he had misheard, what with his heart beating obnoxiously loud right now.

He stood there, mouth wide open and not moving a single inch. To say that he was shocked would be a severe understatement.

Ayano stood in front of him, not meeting his eyes. She seemed to be mulling over what she had just said, hand on her mouth. Since when had she ever blushed before?! And so cutely!

In his state of stupor, the suitcase nearly slipped from his loosened hands when Ayano caught it without hesitation, like he was just handing it to her.

Without having even noticed, her blush had already receded and her face returned to its normally impassive one. "Thank you for obliging my request. I will have this returned to you by tomorrow morning." She spoke with no stutters, hesitations, or falters in her voice. It was as if she hadn't said such an embarrassing thing just ten seconds ago! Had he imagined it? No, he couldn't have!

Readjusting her grip on the suitcase, she turned around and walked towards the door. Turning the knob, the door was pulled slightly open before Bakugou's hand slammed into it, forcing it closed again. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" He spoke slowly and evenly.

Turning slightly to face him, Ayano studied his face. His face held its normal scowl, but he wasn't exactly angry. He looked confused almost. "…Back to my room. I intend to keep working on your costume." She responded. "You're gonna go back after that?!" He yelled at her.

Ayano raised a brow. "After what?" She asked, as if she really didn't know. Bakugou's eye twitched in annoyance. "AFTER DROPPING THAT BOMBSHELL ON ME!"

She tilted her head. "I would not exactly call that a 'bombshell.' A bombshell is a surprising or unexpected statement, which my statement was not. What _is_ surprising and unexpected is how long it took me to realize it. I may have been in love with you since the beginning, and it took me all this time to fully understand it. Now _that_ is what is really surprising."

She said it again!

Well, not as directly this time, but she said it!

There was no mistaking it. He had heard her loud and clear both times.

"Wha—!? Not surprising?! Of course it's surprising!" Bakugou shouted, his face blowing up with red.

Ayano raised a brow again. "Is it really so surprising that I am in love with you? I do not think so, for I may have been in love with you since we were children."

Bakugou spluttered. Again! She said it again!

"Hmm…though I suppose it could be considered surprising. We did, after all, have quite the rocky relationship for some time. Particularly during our junior high school days." She tapped her finger against her chin in thought. "Do you think it is surprising?"

Bakugou gulped. "F-Forget about that! Were you really just gonna leave after confessing to me?!"

Ayano's brows furrowed. "Confessing?" She asked, genuinely confused once more. "I would hardly call that a confession. Although, if you go by the definition that a confession is a formal statement admitting one's feelings, then I suppose it is a confession. However, 'confession' in this situation often has a different connotation. It implies that I expect a response, which I do not."

Bakugou had one of the most shocked and confused faces she'd ever seen. "You are surprised again." Ayano stated rather than questioned. She took that as a sign to explain herself. "You asked me, 'For not realizing _what_ sooner?' You asked me a question, and I gave you an answer. I did not follow up with a question of my own. Therefore, I did not expect a response. I still do not expect a response."

Bakugou's head had bent over in disbelief, his ash blond hair casting a shadow over his eyes. His arm was still outstretched, and his hand was still leaning on the door to keep it shut. It looked like he had no intention of moving.

Ayano was not sure what more she could say, so she turned back around to leave. She tried opening the door again, but Bakugou's other hand slammed on it. Now, his arms were on either side of her, trapping her between him and the door.

"…How could I not respond…when I feel the same way, idiot…" He muttered.

The girl immediately spun around, her normally impassive face turning to a dumbfounded one. She was beginning to see why he thought her statement was so surprising.

Bakugou tilted his head back up, looking directly at her. His cheeks were burning, but there was a fire in his eyes that would not be extinguished.

Ayano found that she couldn't look back at him, her own cheeks feeling a bit hot. She turned back around, mumbling. "My apologies. It appears that my lack of sleep is finally getting to me. I must be hearing things…"

Bakugou's hands gripped her shoulders, swinging her back around to face him. "What the hell?! _Now_ you're surprised?! Is it really so surprising that I feel the same way, huh!?" He shouted, throwing her words right back at her.

She quickly tried collecting her thoughts, the shock still evident on her face. "…You feel the same way…" She mumbled. Bakugou's shoulders relaxed a little, thinking that she understood.

"…So you mean to say that you are madly in love with yourself?" He nearly flipped at that.

His hands tightened on her shoulders, shaking in frustration.

" **THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT ME IS THE SAME WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU, DAMN IT!** "

He was panting, his anger getting the best of him. "You…" He growled out. "ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME ANGRY!?" Looking back at her, his heart almost stopped.

That unmistakable tint of red was slowly crawling up Ayano's neck and taking over her entire face. She quickly put her arm up against her mouth, futilely trying to hide herself. "N-No…I-I…M-My intent was not to anger you…I just…needed to make sure I was not dreaming or hallucinating…"

"Well, you're not, okay!? And don't make me say it again!" Bakugou could see that she was smiling behind her arm. He saw it in her eyes.

He didn't think he'd ever seen her so flustered. He didn't even think he'd ever heard her stutter before! Of course, she had hesitated in her speech sometimes like all people, but after sorting her thoughts, she always said her words clearly. She never stuttered.

What the hell?! Was she really this happy? When did she become this cute?!

Losing strength, Bakugou relaxed and bumped his forehead against hers. "Ahh…You're too damn cute…" "C-CU—!" Ayano couldn't even repeat the word properly.

"…Fuck…Isn't the guy supposed to be the one to say it first?" He mumbled. "But I should have expected this from you. At least let me be the first to do this."

Before Ayano could ask him what he meant, she felt his lips crash into hers. There was no time to think, but she probably couldn't with how blank her mind was. Her only focus was the feeling of his lips on hers. The feeling of his hands shifting from her shoulders to around her waist and behind her head. The feeling of his body pressed up against hers.

The kiss was rough, but not unpleasant. Just like him.

It was probably also due to both of their inexperience as well as their hastiness. They kissed over, and over, and over again – as if to make up for lost time.

Breaking apart all too soon, their faces remained quite close together, their uneven breaths mingling together.

"Your ideas about the roles of males and females in a relationship are incredibly outdated." Ayano said quietly.

Bakugou smirked. Of course, she was already back to her old self with no sign of the flustered Ayano from before. Although, rather than cute like before, she looked rather sexy.

Her red cheeks…Her slightly ruffled hair…Her glazed over eyes…Her soft lips…

Bakugou growled. "Shut up and come back here."

She did just that.


	47. Chapter 47

All of the girls of Class 1-A were gathered around in the lounge, tuckered out from yet another day of intense training. They were all just relaxing on the couches when Hagakure brought up an interesting topic. "Hey! Hey! Have you guys noticed something… _interesting_ lately?"

Tsuyu turned to her, asking, "Like what, Tooru-chan?" The invisible girl giggled, bouncing slightly in her seat. "You know! Like love in the air!"

The frog-like girl tilted her head and placed a finger on her lip. "You mean between Aya-chan and Bakugou?" Hagakure bounced even more in her seat, unable to contain her excitement. "Yes! Yes! Exactly!"

Jiro furrowed her brows. "I know we all saw them sleeping together on one of the couches, but they haven't really done anything with each other ever since, right? And they both acted like that didn't happen too."

Hagakure gasped. "What do you mean!? Them sleeping together is such a big deal! Besides, maybe they're trying to hide their relationship or something!" Jiro still looked skeptical. "Don't you think you might be looking into it too much? I mean, neither of them seem like the type to get all lovey-dovey or whatever."

Yaoyorozu hummed in thought, putting her chin in her hand. "You may be right about that, but perhaps that's exactly why they would hide it? It's only been a few days, but I feel something between them has changed."

Mina quickly pointed at Yaoyorozu, confirming her thoughts. "I was just thinking the same thing! It's the atmosphere between them! The atmosphere! It's totally different from before!"

Hagakure leaned forward, agreeing. "It definitely is! The aura around them feels so much warmer! And they're not arguing as much as they used to! They've even been getting more physical with each other!"

Jiro smirked, twirling one of her earphone jacks. "Maybe that's just them getting more aggressive." She joked. Mina furiously shook her head. "No way! It's definitely not hostile physicality." Jiro shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's not like we have any way of knowing for sure. We're not really close with either of them."

Hagakure jumped out of her seat. "We can just ask Aya-chan! It can be an all-girls bonding time!" Mina jumped up with her. "Yeah! We'll go get her now!"

"Wait! I didn't mean—and they're gone…" Jiro's shoulders slumped as she sighed.

In no time at all, the two girls returned, pulling along a mildly puzzled Ayano. The two forced her down into an empty seat. They each eagerly took a seat beside her. "What is this all about?" The inventor asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, nothing! We just thought it'd be nice to get all the girls together! You're not part of 1-A but you still live with us, and we wanted to get to know you better as friends!" Hagakure and Mina both leaned in towards Ayano. "Yeah! Like your hobbies, what you're interested, _who_ you're interested in. Just girl talk, you know!"

The brown-haired girl quickly looked between them as they kept leaning closer to her. "I appreciate the sentiment, but is now really the best time for this?" The two excited girls tilted their heads. "What do you mean?" They asked.

"All of you are training for the Provisional Hero License Exam, yes? I would imagine that training is especially tiring during this period, and assumed that you all would rather be resting." She explained.

Hagakure hugged the girl's side. Perhaps a little too forcefully since they were now heavily leaning towards the other side. In this awkward position, Ayano raised a hand to pat the invisible girl's arm. "Aww, it's sweet of you to think about our health, but we are resting now! Hmm, but now that you mention it…They really weren't kidding when they said they'd compress all the training."

This launched a torrent of tired sighs and prompted a whole new conversation. Each girl inquired the others on their progress and shared their own troubles in the process. They talked about their quirks and ideas for new super moves.

During their conversation, Ayano quietly slipped on her wristband. Projecting a small holographic screen, she began one-handedly typing on the holographic keyboard that appeared on her arm. She wouldn't miss a chance to record valuable information and even joined the conversation when the other girls talked about possible changes to their costumes.

Hagakure and Mina had forgotten why they had even brought Ayano down here until Tsuyu tried getting Uraraka's attention. "Ochako-chan?" She repeated her name, poking her. The girl jumped, spitting out her drink in response. "Sorry. You must be tired." Tsuyu apologized.

Uraraka frantically recomposed herself. "No! No! No! I can't afford to be tired. I've still got more in me…is what I want to say, but I don't know. Lately, I've been feeling…disconcerted."

" **It's a boy.** "

Uraraka immediately flailed her arms around, a massive blush staining her cheeks. "H-HUH—WHA—! A boy?! That's not it, I swear!"

Mina didn't relent in her attacks. "Is it Midoriya or Iida!? You're with them a lot!" She accused.

"Nooo! Noooooo!" The gravity girl shouted in mortification, her body floating into the air. Ayano stared at the floating girl, rapidly taking notes on her quirk.

Mina turned towards her, remembering her original objective. "How do you feel about that, Aya-chan?" Ayano answered without looking back at the pink-skinned girl. "I find her quirk fascinating, and I wonder about its full capabilities. For instance, what would occur if she were to—" "No! Not about her quirk! How do you feel about her liking one of the boys in our class?" Mina quickly interrupted before Ayano could go into one of her Midoriya-like mumblings.

The inventor raised an eyebrow. "Why would I have any particular feelings about that?" Hagakure leaned towards her, giggling. "Oh, you know! If she happens to like Midoriya, wouldn't you feel something about that? You two are super close, aren't you?"

Ayano blinked. "We are childhood friends and remain friends to this day. I suppose if Uraraka-san finds romantic interest in him, then that means she has good taste."

"Isn't that great! You have her blessings! Less competition for you!" The other girls teased. "Nooooo! I said it's not like that!" Uraraka moaned, her cheeks burning.

"But are you sure _you_ don't like Midoriya in that way? Like you said, you guys are childhood friends! There's got to be something to that! It'd be like a shoujo manga where the main character realizes that she's been in love with her childhood friend all this time! And then it ends up that her childhood friend has liked her back the whole time too!" Mina and Hagakure squealed, hugging each other and bouncing up and down in their excitement.

"I have no such interest in Izuku." Ayano plainly said without hesitation, going back to fiddling with her projection wristband. The two bouncing girls froze in place.

Jiro cringed a bit. "That sounded a little harsh." She remarked. Ayano just blinked again. "My apologies. It was not my intention to sound harsh. I was simply answering their inquiries." Jiro was about to say that her apology wasn't needed when a loud, booming voice interrupted her.

"LIKE HELL SHE'D FALL IN LOVE WITH THAT WORTHLESS DEKU!"

The girls turned around in their seats to see some of the boys from their class. Bakugou was at the center with Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero following behind. Kirishima was nervously looking at him after his sudden outburst while Kaminari and Sero wiggled their eyebrows at each other.

The duo flanked him and each swung an arm around his shoulders, Kaminari on his left and Sero on his right. "Hey! Hey! What makes you so sure of that, huh? Just like the girls said, her and Midoriya are childhood friends and are still so close now. You never know!" Kaminari stated.

"He's right, you know?" Sero commented and then faked a gasp. "Could it be…you're _jealous_? That she might like him?"

Kaminari snickered. "Or maybe you're afraid? You're also her childhood friend, right? Maybe you're scared that she might reject you too! Just like she did to Midoriya just now!" The duo laughed, completely unaware of the hell that would soon be brought upon them.

With each question and comment that they made, Bakugou shook more in fury. The anger was bubbling up in him, not only because they were making fun of him, but also because they dared to even insinuate that Ayano had feelings for someone other than him – and with that good-for-nothing Deku, of all people!

Kaminari's and Sero's laughs were soon replaced with groans of pain as Bakugou grabbed the top of their heads and smashed their skulls together. The duo slid down onto the floor in front of him with red foreheads and swirling eyes. Everyone could almost see the flames of rage in the ash blond's eyes and the steam coming out of his ears.

"All of you can fuck off! **She's mine**!" To emphasize his declaration, he stomped towards the girl, coming up behind her on the couch. He bent down to her level, snatching her jaw in one hand and forcing her to look backwards. He swiftly took her lips in an open-mouthed kiss.

Releasing her, he stood up straight again. He was glaring at everyone else, but the ferocity was somewhat diminished because of the fierce blush growing on his cheeks. "You got that?!" He yelled as everyone stared at him in shock, mouths agape.

Uraraka and Jiro had the widest eyes and widest mouths. Yaoyoruzu sported her own small blush as she covered her mouth with both hands. Despite Tsuyu having relatively little expressions because of her frog-like features, even she was clearly surprised. Hagakure and Mina were shocked, even though they had suspected something was going on between them from the start. They were shocked that the two were so open about their relationship.

The boys were no different. Kirishima didn't know how to react while Kaminari and Sero wondered if Bakugou had hit them so hard that they were having a dream or a hallucination right now.

While everyone was silent, Ayano rubbed her jaw and slightly strained neck. "That was painful, you idiot. If you are going to kiss me, you could at least do it right." To prove her point, she sat up to stand on her knees and turned around on the couch to directly face him. Her hands grabbed each side of his face, pulling him in for another kiss.

Their classmates could handle one, but two!?

As she pulled away, she saw Bakugou's amazed face, still blushing. She quickly avoided his eyes in embarrassment, her own blush surfacing. Coughing awkwardly into her hand, Ayano stood up. "If you will excuse me, I would like to go back to my room now."

She shuffled out of the lounge, leaving everyone to process what just happened. Several screams and shrieks were heard as Ayano entered the elevator.

"Oh my god! It really is like a shoujo manga where the two childhood friends become a couple!"

"No way! So you guys really are together?! Since when?!"

"Is this our class' first couple?! Did we just witness the confession!?"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

Ayano was working at her desk when, for the second time that night, her door was busted open. Instead of Hagakure and Mina, however, it was her boyfriend standing at her doorway.

The two of them stared at each other, Bakugou's blush returning as he thought about what just happened in the lounge. Ayano blinked at him. "You could learn to knock every once in a while."

Snapping out of it, Bakugou clicked his tongue. Ayano turned back to her work. "Is there something you need from me?" She asked. "…it…right…" He mumbled out, causing her to sigh as she worked. "You are going to have to speak more clearly for me to understand."

"…I came to do it right…" He muttered a little louder this time. Ayano paused her ministrations, realizing that he was talking about the kiss.

In the time that it took her to realize this, Bakugou had already made his way up to her. She shifted in her seat, facing him with a dusting of pink on her cheeks. He took her face in his hands, feeling the warmth and a bit of pride at that.

They kissed each other for a couple moments. Only pulling away slightly, Bakugou stared at her, as if expecting some sort of response. She obliged. "That was…nice." She breathed out.

"…Thank you…" She added as an afterthought, unsure of what else she should say.

Bakugou laughed, releasing her. "What are you thanking me for, idiot…" He walked around her to plop onto her bed. Ayano returned to what she was doing as he observed her. "That for me?" He asked, pointing to all the things littering her desk.

"That is correct." She nodded. "I am attempting to make adjustments to your gloves so that they will be better suited for your new super move, the AP Shot." She unscrewed a jar filled with liquid. It was a mixture laced with nitroglycerin to mimic the properties of Bakugou's sweat. Using a small pipette, she took a few drops of the liquid and placed it onto a surface similar to the material of the gloves. As each drop made contact, a tiny explosion occurred. She took notes with her other hand as she carefully examined the phenomenon.

Bakugou stared at her profile, mesmerized. She worked quickly and efficiently, not wasting a single movement. Everything was calculated and methodical.

He had seen her work before, but he had never noticed all the little things. Her face was just as impassive and serious as always, but sometimes there would be small changes in her expression.

Little twitches of her eyebrows when something unexpected happened. A small tilt of her head when she was figuring out a problem. The tiny smile when she solved it. The subtle, decisive nod when she moved on to the next task.

Everything about her was so beautiful.

Ayano glanced at him. "Oh. I will need to borrow your costume again, Katsuki."

He almost fell off the bed.

She stared at him, blinking a few times. "Is that a problem?"

Bakugou's face was completely red as he spluttered. "N-No! M-My name…!" She had used his first name without any honorific only a few times before. He could count the number of times on one hand. They had always had a purpose though. She only ever called his name like that for impact, to convey deep gratitude, or to express some other strong emotion. She had always returned to using his last name afterwards.

She had never used his name so casually before and without any significant meaning.

Ayano raised an eyebrow at him. "Is it so odd for me to use my boyfriend's first name?" "B-BOYFR—" "We are in a relationship, are we not?"

"I-I…You…!" Bakugou couldn't even contain himself or compose his thoughts. To hear her use his name like that _and_ to be called her boyfriend!? "I-It's just weird to hear you call me that after so long!" He defended himself, hoping that his cheeks weren't too red.

Ayano hummed in thought. "I suppose. I had contemplated calling you 'Kacchan' like when we were children, but I believe using just your name would be more intimate. Which would you prefer?"

"J-Just my name is fine!" He said louder than he liked, his embarrassment getting the better of him. Ayano nodded. "Katsuki, then."

She returned to working and taking notes as if nothing happened. Using the pipette again, a few drops of the nitroglycerin liquid fell and made more small explosions.

Bakugou sighed in frustration, furiously rubbing his head. Damn it! How come he was the only one that was getting this embarrassed!? Staring at her profile again, he took a deep breath.

"Ayano."

In her surprise, she ended up squeezing the pipette far too hard. The nitroglycerin liquid gushed out, creating a much larger explosion.

The two of them coughed, waiting for the smoke to clear. Bakugou rushed toward her. "You idiot! What the hell are you doing!?" He paused when he saw her face.

She wasn't hurt, but there was that unmistakable scarlet hue coating her cheeks. She quickly put her arm up against her face, trying to hide it. "Sorry…I…When you said my name…I…."

A smile was slowly crawling onto Bakugou's face. "Is it so weird for me to use my girlfriend's first name?" He threw her words right back at her, making her blush even harder.

She was caught completely off guard. She hadn't expected him to call out to her so suddenly.

Unlike her, he had never used her name before. He had never used a nickname or anything of the sort. In fact, he had never even used her last name before. Even when they were children, he had never called her by any part of her name. For the longest time, it was always just 'idiot,' 'dumbass,' some other obscenity, or even just 'you.'

This was the first time.

She hoped it wouldn't be the last.

She knew that it was strange to act like this after doing the same to him and saying all of that. She knew, but she couldn't help feeling like this.

This incredible happiness.

She bit her lip, trying to use the pain to bring herself back to reality. "No…not weird, just…unexpected."

Bakugou smirked, finally able to get the upper hand. "There's nothing unexpected about a boyfriend calling his girlfriend by her first name, is there?"

Ayano shook her head. "No…that is not what is unexpected." He furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Then what's unexpected for you?"

"How immensely happy I am."

Ah. He lost the upper hand again.

How could she be this damn cute!?

What a sight they were. Such blushing fools.

"You…I'll say your name as many times as you want. So, say my name as many times as I want, alright?! Ayano!" He demanded. She shakily nodded. "Katsuki."

"Ayano." "Katsuki." "Ayano…" "Katsuki…"

As they leaned forward, her door was yet again busted open that night. "Aya-chan! I was training outside when I saw and heard a huge explosion coming from your room! Is everything oka—AH!"

That was how Midoriya Izuku learned that his two childhood friends were in a relationship.

"GET OUT, DEKU!" "S-S-SORRY!"

* * *

The day of the Provisional Hero License Exam came in the blink of an eye. Everyone awoke early to prepare.

Bakugou stifled a big yawn as he opened his door. He rubbed his eyes when he saw his costume suitcase on the floor. Attached to the handle was a note.

 _You said you would be my hero, but you better become everyone else's too._

 _Otherwise, I'm taking this back._

 _\- Sasaki Ayano_

Oh, what Ayano would do to see the smile on Bakugou's face right now.

He took the suitcase and went back into his room to pack everything up. Flopping onto his bed, he read the note over and over again. His smile growing bigger with each re-read.

While he was laying down, he lifted the note up above his head, as if to admire it from a different angle. Being held up to the light, he could somewhat see through the paper. There was some writing on the back that he hadn't noticed before. Turning it over, he blushed as he read it.

 _P.S. I love you. Do your best._


	48. Chapter 48

"You… _what_?"

It was the day of the Provisional Hero License Exam, and Ayano was seated on one of the couches in the lounge. Her work was splayed out on the coffee table in front of her as she waited for the potential heroes to return.

Upon their arrival, she immediately went to greet them. She smiled slightly at their enthusiasm, understanding that everything seemed to go well.

Well… _almost_ everything.

Everyone was deathly silent, waiting with baited breath. They all knew that Bakugou had failed the exam. He had muttered about it when Ayano asked him, but she asked once more in her disbelief.

She stood in front of him, eyes narrowed and losing patience. Bakugou didn't look into her eyes, his head tilted down to glare at the floor. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and his mouth was turned into a frowning pout. "…I…failed…" He angrily mumbled, nearly ashamed that he had to utter those words to her.

He couldn't bring himself to look at her. There was just no way. He was afraid of what he would see. Anger? He could handle that. Sadness? Ayano wasn't the type to get sad like that. Utter disappointment?

That's what he was afraid of.

He couldn't bear to see disappointment on the face of the person who believed in him most. On the face of the only person that mattered.

Even after such a long silence, Ayano refused to say anything. In fact, she hadn't even moved. It was like she wasn't even breathing.

Bakugou didn't want to see her reaction for fear of what it could be, but that didn't mean he didn't want to know what it was. He grew more anxious as time dragged on. Why wasn't she saying anything? Doing anything? Finally, he looked up to see her.

Ayano had on her perfect poker face.

It was the same impassive expression that she normally had, but this time, it was wholly unexpected.

She closed her eyes, thinking for a few moments. She breathed slowly. In…and out…In…and out…

"…I see." She finally breathed out, her voice only able to be heard because everyone else had been so quiet. Before Bakugou could answer her, she did another unexpected thing.

She bowed to him.

"I sincerely apologize for my shortcomings." She said, still in her perfect ninety-degree bow.

…What? WHAT!?

"…Y-You…What the fuck are _you_ apologizing for?!" Bakugou demanded an answer, completely baffled. " _I'm_ the one who should be doing that!"

Ayano stood up straight, tilting her head. "Why would you do that? You tried your best, did you not? Yet, you still failed. Clearly, the fault lies with me. With my mental block, I was unable to fully improve your costume to the best of my ability. The one who's costume I worked on the most happens to be the one that fails. Surely, had I done a better job, we would not be in this predicament."

She bowed to him once more. "For that, I sincerely apologize."

No…No! This wasn't her fault! It could never be her fault! It was his! All him! He wasn't good enough. He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't good enough for her!

He couldn't take it. Anything but this. He would give anything for her to be disappointed at him rather than at herself.

What truly hurt was that she wholeheartedly believed him. From beginning to end, she believed in him. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind. She firmly believed that he would have emerged victorious.

In her eyes, the fact that he didn't meant that only one person could be at fault. Her.

No…No! That was unacceptable. It was all his fault! He was improving. He was getting stronger, and yet, he _still_ failed when his classmates were able to succeed! She did everything for him and he _still_ failed! "Stop it…Get up! Get the fuck up! GET UP RIGHT NOW, DAMN IT!"

Ayano stood up again, but she didn't look him in the eyes. It was as if she were ashamed and she couldn't bring herself to.

Bakugou's hands tightened, his nails digging deeply into his palms. "It's not your fault! It's mine! I failed and that's it! I just wasn't strong enough! Shit!"

She finally met his gaze. "Oh…I see. Is that so?" She began cracking her knuckles. "Well, that certainly changes things."

Bakugou gulped.

Without any further notice, Ayano delivered a swift punch to his jaw.

At least he was prepared for her reaction this time. He stumbled a bit but stood his ground, his head pushed back in the direction of her punch. It hurt, but this was definitely better than her disappointment from before.

Midoriya called out to his childhood friend. "A-Aya-chan! That's too much! I think you should calm do—!" The boy stopped himself when her eyes shifted over to glare at him. Her furious gaze and chilling aura delivered her silent message perfectly clearly.

 _Stay. Out. Of. This._

Even though it was directed at Midoriya, the rest of the class could feel a shiver down their spine. The room suddenly felt much colder, and it wasn't because of Todoroki's quirk.

Ayano returned her attention to Bakugou, who hadn't looked back at her yet. She slowly went up to him, so close that their feet were almost touching. In this position, she forced him to look at her. "Well, if it is was not _my_ fault, then obviously it was yours. Care to explain?"

He shoved a hand into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled paper. It was the paper that they gave out to all of the test takers that told them of their total points and comments explaining why points were deducted.

Ayano swiped it from his hand, wasting no time examining it. She read it and re-read it. Bakugou waited anxiously for her reaction again.

After she was done, she gave a long sigh. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to alleviate some of her irritation. Taking deep breaths, she looked up at him again. "So? What do you plan to do about this?"

Although he wasn't as surprised as before, Bakugou still had to take time to process her question. Ayano took his silence as a sort of question on her behavior. "I have complete faith in your fighting capabilities, but I cannot say the same for everything else about you. As such, I cannot say that I did not expect nearly all of the comments to be about your foul mouth. This is exactly what I mean when I tell you that you cannot keep behaving like this if you are to become a hero!"

Bakugou flinched as her hand reached up to gently cup his jaw, thinking that she was going to hit him again. "Still…I apologize for hitting you. I let my emotions cloud my judgment. I was just upset that you allowed yourself to be so foolish, and I was upset with myself for not beating that into you better."

The blond scoffed. "So you decided to hit me again!?" He immediately yelped in pain as Ayano clenched her hand around his jaw. It was still stinging from her punch earlier. "Okay, okay! I get it already! Quit it!"

"So, what do you intend to do about this?" Ayano asked again, although this time, there was more concern laced into it.

Bakugou put his hand on top of hers, gripping it tightly. "There's a three-month training course. Next test is in April."

Ayano gripped his hand back. "I see. Do your best." She let go and turned around to go back to the coffee table littered with her work. "If you require any more improvements on your costume, you know where to find me."

"Ayano." The girl looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm going to pass this time." She smirked.

"Of course you will."

* * *

Ayano was currently leaning behind the door while she listened to Aizawa reprimand both of her childhood friends for staying out past curfew and fighting.

Before, the students of Class 1-A were in the lounge while Ayano worked on her inventions. All of them were glad that their hectic schedules were finally calming down, but school would start up again the very next day. They took this chance to just relax.

Eventually, Bakugou also came down to the lounge. It was perfect timing for Ayano because she had wanted to test something. Just as she was about to call out to him, he muttered something to Midoriya as he passed him.

She was too far to hear, but Ayano read his lips. " _Meet me out front later. We gotta talk about your quirk._ "

For the entire rest of the day, the girl was on the lookout for them. After everyone else had fallen asleep, the two of them had walked out to Ground Beta with Ayano secretly following them. She witnessed their entire fight from a distance, nearly crying when she saw, heard, and felt Bakugou's distress.

She didn't intervene though. She had no right. This was something they had to work out for themselves.

However, that didn't mean she didn't have some choice words for Bakugou later.

Now, she was patiently waiting behind the door while Aizawa basically strangled the two boys. "You broke the rules, and I can't let that go! I'll give you an appropriate punishment. Who threw the first punch?" He interrogated.

"I did." Bakugou replied without hesitation. "I also…fought back…" Midoriya added.

Aizawa released the two from their bindings, pointing at them. "Bakugou, four days! Midoriya, three days! You're both under house arrest!" The man turned towards the door. "Sasaki, get in here!"

The two boys whipped their heads around to see the girl open the door and calmly walk in. "Aya-chan!?" "Ayano!"

Aizawa continued his lecture, ignoring their surprise. "Sasaki, you get two days! For staying out past curfew and also not informing any faculty about their fight! All three of you are under house arrest! During that time, you'll be cleaning the dorm's common areas, both morning and night! Plus, I want a written letter of apology from the three of you!" He gave a deep sigh. "That's all! Get to sleep!"

The three childhood friends walked into the elevator. Midoriya could feel how tense the air was. As the elevator stopped on the second floor, he hesitantly got out. He looked back at the couple with concern, but neither of them paid any attention to him.

Ayano had her normally impassive face as she stared out at seemingly nothing while Bakugou glared at the ground with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Midoriya tried desperately to figure out something to say, but the doors to the elevator slid closed before he could. Sighing, he walked to his room to think on some things.

The elevator travelled up to the fourth floor. The two of them walked out, but Ayano followed Bakugou instead of going to her own room. He didn't protest. In fact, it seemed like he didn't even notice. He walked into his room and sat on his bed. He propped his elbows on his knees, letting his hands dangle in the space between his legs as his head hung low.

Ayano followed him in, quietly shutting the door behind. She stood in front of it, just staring at him. As if she were waiting for something to happen. When it became evident that nothing would, she took action.

"Why did I become the reason for All Might's end…" She whispered the words, but Bakugou flinched as he clearly heard her. She had once said those words to him when she had been in solitary confinement, and they were the same words he shouted at Midoriya during their fight.

Ayano shook her head repeatedly. "You can't do that…You can't…I won't let you!" She shakily breathed out.

" **You can't tell me it wasn't my fault, just so you could put the blame on yourself! That's not how it works!** "

Her pure rage now was miles away from what she showed earlier today when he said he failed the exam. It was his fault?! What bullshit is that!?

Ayano was shaking. Seething. She glared at him, waiting for his response. When she grew impatient, she went to grab at his collar but his low voice stopped her.

"You knew all along…" He mumbled, referring to her knowledge about Midoriya's and All Might's relationship.

Ayano frowned. There was something very unsettling about his tone. It sounded almost…defeated. "I did not hear it from Izuku, if that is what you're thinking. I figured it out myself during your first training battle when All Might refused to stop the training despite my warnings."

"…Since that long…" He muttered more to himself than to her. He slowly lifted his head, staring into Ayano's eyes. "Is that why?" He asked, as if he were still talking to himself. The girl raised an eyebrow, not liking where this was going.

"Is that why…Is that why you always supported me? Because you felt bad for me? Because you thought I needed the help? Is that wh—!" He was silenced by another one of Ayano's punches.

"How _**dare**_ you! You think I did all this for you out of pity!? Do you really think that lowly of me?!" She grabbed at his tank top's collar, forcing him up to look at her.

"Well what the fuck am I supposed to think, huh?! You were always around that fucking nerd and defending him! You only chose to help me because you thought it was some sort of handicap! You thought I needed it since I wasn't the one chosen!" Bakugou yelled back at her.

Ayano furiously shook him back and forth. "I couldn't care less who All Might chooses, even if it is Izuku! What have I been telling you since we were children!? I told you that I would make support items for the most amazing hero some day! Izuku was chosen by All Might, and I _**still**_ chose you!"

Her grip on his collar loosened as she backed away from him, shaking her head with unshed tears of frustration in her eyes. "…It was _always_ you…"

She clenched her hand on her chest, over her heart. "I can't compare to All Might…but if Izuku has All Might…then you have _**me**_!"

A couple tears were finally let loose from her eyes. "I chose you because I believed you would be the most amazing hero to me. Even more amazing than All Might and even more amazing than Izuku who was chosen by All Might." She rubbed at her eyes, furiously trying to wipe the few stray tears away. "So don't you _dare_ blame yourself for what happened. Especially not after what you said to me before…"

At this point, Bakugou could feel a few tears of his own roll down his cheeks. He used his arm to wipe them off. "Fuck! You're right, I know that…I just…I just couldn't take it. To know that he's gone now and that he chose Deku, of all people…and that it was because of me that he couldn't fight to the end. Shit! I can't believe I'm crying again!"

Ayano suddenly pulled him forward so that his face fell into the crook of her neck. "Who's crying? I don't see a single person crying here…" She whispered. The same words he once said to her when he comforted her after the nightmares.

Just like it did for her, it comforted Bakugou to no end.

Ayano took a deep breath. "It was not your fault. It was neither of our faults. You are not weak. I will not let you think that way." She gently said as one hand was placed on the back of his head and the other rubbed his back.

She was right. She was always right. She had always believed in him. From beginning to end. Even earlier today, she proved that she wholeheartedly and truly believed in him.

That was all he needed to keep going.

"…Sorry…I yelled all of that at you…" Bakugou mumbled an apology. "You're right…If that nerd has All Might, then I have you…and you're way more important to me than some retired hero." He returned her hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and crushing her to him – as if he were afraid she might leave him.

"…I beat him…" He muttered into her neck.

Ayano smiled. "You did." She confirmed.

"…I beat 'Mr. Chosen One' The one All Might picked." "You did."

"And I'll keep beating him from here on out." "I know you will."

"I'll become the greatest hero. One even better than All Might." "I look forward to it."

Bakugou tightened his hold on her even more. "…So…keep choosing me, alright?"

Ayano pushed him back a little. She cupped his cheek, making him look up at her. She gazed down at him lovingly, pulling him in for a deep kiss. As they pulled away, their foreheads remained in touch.

"I would choose you even if you didn't ask me to."


	49. Chapter 49

"They got in a fight?!"

"House arrest!?"

The rest of Class 1-A were preparing to leave for the opening ceremony when they came across the three childhood friends cleaning the lounge. "Eeeeh!? Even Aya-chan fought?!" Mina asked in disbelief.

"Apparently, she saw the both of them walking out but didn't tell any of the teachers, so she got punished too." Jiro answered.

They all left for the opening ceremony after the whole commotion, leaving the three childhood friends in a somewhat awkward silence.

Midoriya was the first to break it. "So…my shoot style…what'd you think of it?" He asked Bakugou hesitantly.

The blond didn't respond for quite a while, leaving Midoriya with just the sounds of the whirring vacuums. The green-haired boy furrowed his brows, beginning to think that they wouldn't be able to make up even after all that happened last night.

"Your wind-up motions are too big." Bakugou finally responded, momentarily stunning the boy. "Even though you got faster, I still managed to react in time. It's not well suited for a slugfest."

Midoriya turned around, but Bakugou's back was still facing him. The blond continued. "When you added punches to the mix…That really pissed me off."

Midoriya smiled. "Got it!"

Ayano looked on at her two childhood friends, gently smiling at the development. Midoriya turned to her, excitement and expectation in his eyes.

"I agree with Katsuki. Although, it is much easier for me to say that from a third-person view, so my comments may seem trite." She explained.

The boy frantically shook his head. "No, no! I completely trust you, Aya-chan! I'll take any advice I can get! Thanks!"

She nodded. "Then, I have a question for you." For some reason, the blank stare from her was a little bit different than usual, making Midoriya feel uneasy. "I noticed that since you have taken a different approach to your fighting style, you appear to have made adjustments to your costume."

She took slow, calculated steps toward the boy. He unconsciously took steps back to put distance between them, the anxiety growing in him. "I would like to ask why you did not come to me for improvements on your costume. Or rather, why you went to Mei instead."

"I know full well how incredible Mei is. Her talent is undeniable, but I also have confidence in my work. Do you find my support items unsatisfactory in any way? Is there something I can improve on? Why did you feel the need to go to Mei? Just why is it that you never once spoke with me about your costume?" Ayano bombarded him, nearly towering over him.

"A-Ah! I-It's not that, Aya-chan! I just thought…" He hesitated a bit, glancing at Bakugou who was observing their interaction. "I just thought maybe you had a lot to handle with…you know…working on Kacchan's costume and all. You guys are d-dating now, after all. You were also going through a lot lately, and I didn't want to unintentionally trigger anything by asking you and stuff…" He trailed off, the worry and unease evident in his voice as he looked down at his feet.

Ayano tilted her head and blinked. "I see. In that case, I appreciate your concern but there is no need for it. I have made a complete recovery."

The boy smiled up at his friend, immensely relieved to hear that. "Although…" He flinched at her voice.

"As for your concerns about my relationship with Katsuki...I may be dating him now but that does not mean I forget about my friends. It does not mean I make support items exclusively for him. You will make a fine hero one day, Izuku, and I would be honored to help in that process." She ended her last statement with a small smile.

"Aya-chan…" The green-haired boy almost teared up at that, his heart swelling with warmth. Lately, with everything that's happened, the two of them hadn't really been together all that much. Even when she was going through her trauma after being kidnapped by the League of Villains, it wasn't him that comforted her but Bakugou. Midoriya was a little worried that they may have been drifting apart, but his worries were dashed with a few simple words from Ayano.

Suddenly, the girl was yanked from behind, her shirt collar slightly choking her. Bakugou had roughly grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her away from the green-haired boy. "What the hell?! Were you lying to me last night!? You said you would always choose me!" He accused the girl.

As she fixed her shirt collar, she raised an eyebrow at him. "I will always choose you, Katsuki. However, it is incredibly foolish for me, as an inventor, to limit myself to only making support items for one person."

"Then what you said last night was pretty much worthless…" The blond mumbled, displaying an angry pout. Ayano hid her smile behind her hand. This was a rare sight, indeed. She never knew Bakugou to be the type to pout and sulk like so. She could get used to this. "My words are not worthless. How many support items have I made for you since coming to U.A?" She asked.

"…Lots…" He mumbled.

"And how many have I made for Izuku?" She questioned. He didn't answer, but he knew that the answer was none. Looking back at her, he saw her raise her eyebrows expectantly. He muttered a few more obscenities, seemingly admitting defeat.

"Besides, if I were ever forced to make a choice between making support items for you or Izuku, I would always choose you without a second thought." Ayano reassured him, her face and voice completely serious.

Bakugou just clicked his tongue and turned around, going back to cleaning. Ayano chuckled as she saw the dusting of pink on his ears. "Ah." She gave a little sound of realization.

Turning back to Midoriya, she bowed her head to him. "That may have been offensive, but I assure you that I meant no offense."

The green-haired boy quickly shook his head and waved his hands around. "No, it's okay! I know you didn't mean it like that, Aya-chan! Again, thank you!"

She nodded to him, turning around and walking back to Bakugou. She tried to see if he was still upset with her, but the blond kept turning his head away to avoid her gaze. Midoriya almost laughed at the scene, seeing Bakugou so flustered.

He smiled, glad to see so many developments happening. His two childhood friends had finally admitted their feelings for each other and were now in a relationship. He and Bakugou had somewhat made up. Things were shaping up to be more like how they used to be when all three of them were good friends.

* * *

Ayano was working at her desk when she heard a single knock on her door. Before she could react though, the door was busted open by a strong kick from Bakugou. The blond sauntered in, plopping onto her bed and placing his costume suitcase on the ground next to it.

She stared at him, blinking a few times before releasing a small sigh. It wasn't exactly proper, but he _did_ knock, albeit only once and then proceeded to come in without permission. Still, it was progress. "I take it your remedial license training course went well?" She asked as she worked on her inventions.

The boy grunted, turning on his side so that he could look at her. "We had to work with a bunch of little fucktards today. Some dumb assignment about 'opening up their hearts' or some shit."

Ayano looked at him, her eyes widening a bit. "Children?" She asked, somehow understanding that in Bakugou's vocabulary, 'little fucktards' was synonymous with kids. "I hope you were not too rough with them."

The blond scoffed. "Pssh, yeah right. Those fuckers could take it. One of them even messed up my mask." He pulled out his mask from the suitcase, showing that the right side was completely torn. "Little shit had this quirk where he manipulates these balls that have mouths and sharp teeth. Ate right through the mask." He explained.

The girl took it from his hands, examining it from all angles. "Interesting. An easy fix. This kind of thing usually shouldn't require much paperwork. It should be ready for you by tomorrow night. Perhaps I should improve it and use more durable material."

Bakugou laid on his back again, his hands folded behind his head. "Do whatever you want. It's just a mask."

The two of them remained in each other's company, a comfortable silence settling on them. Their nights and time off usually resulted in this. Most of the times, they were in Ayano's room because she was almost always working on something. Bakugou would lay on her bed, usually taking a nap or just watching her work. Sometimes, they would be in his room instead. Although, Ayano never failed to bring something small to tinker with while she was there.

After finishing up whatever it was she was working on, Ayano released a satisfied sigh and relaxed back in her chair. She admired her work, the ends of her lips tilted upwards.

Bakugou watched her from the corner of his eye, a little smile of his own peeking out. Suddenly, she turned to address him. "Katsuki, do you have your remedial license training course tomorrow as well?"

"Nah, I have it the day after. Why?" He answered, sitting up in curiosity.

The girl hummed in thought. "Would you like to go somewhere with me tomorrow?"

* * *

The pair walked down the street, not many others out in the open. Bakugou stared at Ayano from the side, but she looked straight ahead, focusing on their path. She had invited him out, but she hadn't told him to where.

Initially, he thought that she just wanted to go on a walk like he took her to do before. However, it seemed like she had a clear destination in mind. Not only that, but she carried a rather large suitcase in her left hand.

His eyes travelled from the suitcase to her other hand. The empty one. The one closer to him. He felt the urge to fill it with his own.

Knowing that he'd have to make the first move, he internally cursed before just going for it. He intertwined their fingers as they continued walking.

Ayano almost stopped but didn't when Bakugou didn't even slow down. Her hand was limp in his as she stared up at him, processing. He didn't look back at her, turning his head away to hide his blush. The pink on his ears peeked out again.

Growing a little impatient, the boy squeezed her hand once, prompting her to gaze at their conjoined hands. Her cheeks were sprinkled with a little blush of her own as she squeezed his hand back.

That didn't last long though because she removed her hand not even a minute later.

"Why'd you pull away!?" He demanded. "Your hand is sweaty."

"…"

"HAAAH?! So what?! What's wrong with that?!" He yelled, a few veins popping out on his temple.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with it. It's a perfectly normal bodily function. Especially for you, considering your quirk. I just prefer to have my own hands to be clean." Ayano explained.

"You can just wash them later!" Bakugou accused. The girl furrowed her brows. "Well, yes, I can, but your quirk makes your sweat especially hard to clean. With its nitroglycerin-like properties, I would need more than just regular soap and water to fully wash off all residues. I would rather not have to do that, seeing as it may be dangerous to leave that on my hands for what I am about to do."

Bakugou then realized that during their banter, they had stopped walking. He looked up at the building in front of them, recognizing it as an orphanage.

Without a moment's notice, Ayano walked through the entrance. A couple of kids ran past them, shouting at each other. One of them stopped to look up at her, his mouth wide open and his eyes lighting up in excitement. "It's Big Sis Aya!"

His shouts caused a flurry of other kids to come out from the other rooms. They all dashed out to gang up on Ayano, a couple of them jumping up and down at her feet, begging to be carried. The young inventor put down her suitcase and obliged, kneeling down to hug them.

Bakugou vaguely remembered some of their faces from that time he dragged her out on a walk when she reached a slump in her work. They were the kids that Ayano had built prosthetics for during her internship. So, this was the orphanage they came from, huh?

At all the commotion, an elderly woman poked her head out from another room. Probably the director of the orphanage. "Ah! Aya-chan, welcome back!" The girl stood up to greet the woman, eliciting a few disappointed mewls from the children at her feet who hadn't gotten their turn at a hug yet.

They were all ushered into another room. It was a playroom filled with many toys for the children to enjoy. Ayano promptly began playing with them. Although, 'playing' was really just her observing them as she sat in the center of the room. Each of them went up to her if they wanted to, showing off their toys and little tricks they learned to do with their newly developed quirks.

In return, Ayano showed off her own 'toys' from her suitcase. They were gadgets that she had been working on that would make adjustments to the children's prosthetics. For some of the more unruly and wild kids, she fixed their prosthetics on the spot. All of this, with a tender smile on her face.

Bakugou watched on from the side, his back leaning on the wall. After having to deal with the rowdy kids from Masegaki Primary School yesterday for his remedial training course, Bakugou didn't want much to deal with these kids.

Still, it was really nice to see Ayano enjoy her time with them.

"Despite her personality, she really does have a way with these kids." The orphanage's director remarked from next to him. "It must be because, unlike most people, she doesn't pity them. She just truly wants to help them in her own way."

Bakugou kept watching her, his lips turning into a small smirk full of pride. "Yeah, she doesn't mince words or beat around the bush either. They're kids, but they're not stupid. They can tell when an adult is looking down at them."

The director grinned at him. "You know her well. Well, of course you would, being her boyfriend and all!"

The blond flinched at hearing that title, his cheeks getting stained with red. So, she had even told the people at this orphanage that they were dating? She sure knew how to say some embarrassing things!

The elderly woman laughed at his reaction. "Oh, the youth these days! Well, I won't tease you for long. You should have seen my face the other day when she asked me over the phone if she could bring you along! She's visited plenty of times before, but she never brought anyone over. I told her that it was okay and that the children would probably enjoy it, but she always refused and said it was unnecessary. Imagine my reaction when _she_ asked _me_ if she could bring over not just a friend, but her boyfriend!"

Bakugou held his hand up to his face, trying to cover his blush but to no avail. The woman laughed again. "You must be very special to her. She must have wanted to share this side of her with you."

He would've mumbled a response, but a few children ran up to them. They pulled at his shirt, tugging him forward. "Hey, Mister! Come play with us!"

"Stop pulling me, you little turds!" The blond yelled, but followed them nonetheless. He joined Ayano, sitting crisscross on the ground.

"Hey! Hey! Aya-nee, it's the same scary guy from before!" One of the kids exclaimed. "HUUUH?! Who're you calling scary?!" Bakugou yelled back, causing the child to cry.

"Katsuki." Ayano said his name in a reprimanding way while patting the crying child's head in comfort. The angry boy pouted, muttering an apology.

Ayano kindly rubbed the child's head. "Yes, it is him, but he is not 'that scary guy.' He is someone very important to me." The child had stopped crying and looked up at her. "Is he your prince, Aya-nee?"

"WHA—!?" Bakugou gave a shout. Ayano briefly looked at him but then looked back at the child.

"Yes, he is my prince." She declared without any hesitation and a smile.

One of the biggest smiles Bakugou had ever seen from her.

His blush was now full-blown and in clear view.

The girls in the room all squealed in excitement, reminding Ayano of Hagakure and Mina. Meanwhile, the boys were moaning in despair. They marched towards Bakugou, pointing their toy swords and other weapons at him. "We…We won't hand over Aya-nee!" They vowed.

Something in the blond snapped. "Oooh?! You think you lot can stand a chance against me, huh?! Well, let's see about that!" He chased after the boys, shouting after them.

Ayano watched him, chuckling behind her hand.

It seemed Bakugou was also good with kids in his own way.


	50. Chapter 50

The students of Class 1-A were relaxing in the lounge, discussing what they planned to do for the School Festival when they all heard a large explosion from the other side of the room.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT!?" Bakugou shouted at Ayano. He was, surprisingly, not the cause of the explosion. Luckily, it wasn't a large scale one, only resulting in puffs of smoke and soot to be launched into the air with no damage to the furniture.

The inventor coughed into her hand, desperately trying to clear her lungs as she waved away all the smoke with her other hand.

Several of her classmates cautiously waded through the smoke, concerned for their friend. "Aya-chan! Is everything okay?!" Many of them asked.

"Everything is fine." She quickly replied, immediately going back to the couch. Machines, gadgets, and all sorts of tech were littered about on the table in front of her.

"The hell it is! You're dead tired and you need sleep, damn it!" Bakugou grabbed her shoulder, making her face him. He was prepared to use force if she didn't listen.

"I'll sleep when the School Festival is over." She mechanically responded, but she couldn't deny that she was incredibly tired. Ayano had been working day and night in preparation for the festival, along with attending regular class.

The students of the Support Course would hold a big tech exhibition for the festival, showcasing their talents and inventions. Due to recent major events, U.A. had decided to go through with the festival on the conditions that only a select few would be able to attend this year. The Support Course students had received a list of all the support companies that would send a representative to the festival, and this was by far the biggest opportunity for all of them.

There was absolutely no way that Ayano would let this chance slip by.

"You're going to sleep _now_!" Bakugou grabbed each of her wrists, forcing her hands down to her sides so that she would be unable to work on anything. He had overpowered her, but he was certainly struggling. Perhaps if she weren't so tired, she might have been able to break free.

"I'll have…plenty of time…to sleep…when it is…over!" Ayano grumbled out as she fought to break free from his grasp.

"Will you give it a rest already! You already said you're way ahead of schedule! Look at this!" Bakugou gestured with his head since his hands were occupied with holding down Ayano's. "You made a stupid mistake when you never would have before! Now get some fucking sleep!"

Ayano stared him, searching desperately for a rebuttal. She couldn't find one though because he was right. If she were of perfectly sound mind, her invention never would have short circuited like that. "You're right." She sighed, admitting defeat.

"Damn right I am! You're always telling me to get to sleep before ten, why?!" Bakugou wanted to pour just a little bit more salt in the wound.

"…Because we need seven to nine hours of sleep to remain at peak performance, and lack of sleep depresses cognitive function…" Ayano mumbled out.

He smirked in triumph. "Good! Now don't be a hypocrite and get the fuck to sleep!" He pointed at the elevator down the hall. When she didn't make a move to get up from the couch, he scowled at her. "What the hell are you waiting for?!"

"…There is no room. That's why I came down here. There is more space in the lounge." Ayano explained.

"Ehhh?! There's that much stuff in your room!? It's even on the bed?!" Mina asked in disbelief. The rest of her classmates felt a sweat drop down their temple when Ayano nodded. Just how many things was she working on!?

Bakugou plopped down onto the couch next to her. "You're really too much, you know? I guess you can just use my bed for now." He suggested.

Kaminari and Mineta raised their eyebrows at him suggestively. "Oooh? Smooth, Bakugou! Real smooth! Trying to get Aya-chan into your bed, huh?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU PERVERTS!" He was about to get up and attack them when he felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist. Ayano had her lower half splayed across the couch as she latched onto Bakugou, laying her head on his chest.

"Your room is too far. I'll just sleep here so that I can get right back to work once I wake up." With that, Ayano promptly fell asleep snuggled up to Bakugou as he spluttered out obscenities with a blush on his face.

Apparently, Ayano was much more tired than he thought because she didn't even think about her actions. There's no way she would have done this in her normal state.

He tried prying her off, but she was already sound asleep. After all this effort to get her to rest, he didn't want to wake her up so soon. She desperately needed the sleep.

Bakugou sighed in annoyance, but he really wasn't all that annoyed. Even if he was, gazing at her sleeping face would have calmed him down instantly.

"Let's go! Let's go! Things might get steamy in here!" Kaminari and Mineta whisper-shouted, ushering the rest of their classmates out.

Well, now he was annoyed again.

"Once she wakes up, I'm going to kill you all!"

* * *

On the morning of the festival, Bakugou barged into Ayano's room with a pair of drumsticks in hand. She was packing up all of her things into a large suitcase. It was the same one that she brought to the orphanage that one time.

She looked at him briefly as he walked in, but soon returned to packing. "Good timing. I was just about to tell you that I'm leaving." Snapping the suitcase shut, she walked with him to the elevators.

As they were riding it down, Ayano flipped through several flashcards. Bakugou looked at her curiously. "What are those for?" He asked. Without looking at him, she responded. "Flashcards for my presentation."

The blond raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you needed those things." He commented.

Putting them away as the elevator reached the first floor, Ayano looked forward. "I don't. I've already memorized everything, but one must always prepare for the unexpected. 'Fortune favors the prepared mind' as they say."

As they walked out of the elevator, they were met with much of Class 1-A rushing to prepare for departure. Seeing the pair, Kaminari rushed up to them while waving a shirt in his hand. "Bakugou! Come on, you gotta wear the shirt! The band has to match!" The T-shirt was a relatively simple one with the words 'A BAND' plastered on the front.

"I'm not wearing that piece of shit." The explosive boy bluntly responded. "Then I'll just have to force it on you!" The electric boy shouted as he plunged the shirt's opening over Bakugou's head. The two of them struggled against each other, but Bakugou eventually put on the shirt. Of course, not without hitting Kaminari a few times.

"It is unfortunate that I will not be able to attend your performance. Although, I'm sure you all will blow the audience away." Ayano complimented as she examined Bakugou in the band's 'uniform.'

Since Class 1-A's performance was one of the first, Ayano would still be preparing for the tech exhibition and wouldn't be able to see it. A fact that had the both of them quite a bit more disappointed than they thought they would be.

The blond clicked his tongue. "Of course we will." His face displayed a great amount of displeasure. "I have to clean up afterwards, but I'll come to see your exhibit as soon as I can."

Ayano smiled tenderly at him. He didn't have to do that. In fact, she had never even asked him to come see her presentation. Although, she probably shouldn't have been too surprised, considering that she just did the same thing. She expressed her regrets at not being able to see Bakugou's performance despite him never having asked her to come, and now he was doing the same thing.

Perhaps something like this was just a given for those in a relationship.

Ayano raised her hand to cup Bakugou's cheek. "You don't have to worry about that. Just do your best."

The boy placed his hand over hers, giving a slight frowning pout. "Who said I was worried?" He was so dishonest sometimes, but he would never deny her affections.

She smirked at him, knowing full well that he was just putting up a front. "Play your hardest and I might even hear it with how loud you can be."

The girl gave him a quick, chaste kiss. She pulled away, preparing to leave when he pulled her right back into a much deeper kiss.

"I'll blow the whole gymnasium down with my drumming." Bakugou promised her. She smiled at him, turning to leave for real this time.

Upon reaching the exhibition site, Ayano nearly shivered with excitement. This would be one of the greatest opportunities she would ever be given, and seeing everyone else setting up their inventions only served to exhilarate her more.

The young inventor cracked her knuckles and stretched, fully prepared to put on a show that the support company representatives would never forget.

* * *

The exhibition site was soon bustling with students showcasing their work and visitors interested in becoming potential clients.

Many of the Support Course students had created something grand, hoping to attract attention through the size of their inventions. Ayano, however, was one of the very few who had chosen to display something on a much smaller scale. This, in itself, attracted much attention within the throng of gigantic machines. She also had the added benefit of being recognized from the Sports Festival.

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to witness my exhibit." She bowed to the support company representatives. Raising her head, she gave a smile full of confidence. "I can assure you that your time will not be wasted." Stepping to the side, she revealed pedestals that showcased her inventions.

Many of the representatives gave questioning sounds and glances. "These look just like common prosthetics…?" One of them questioned. On the pedestals were several objects that appeared to be prosthetics, or rather, some type of mechanical exoskeletons.

"That is precisely what they are." Ayano offered a perfect business smile. "After the Sports Festival, I was fortunate enough to intern at the Matsumoto Prosthetics and Orthotics Manufacturing Company."

Several of the representatives widened their eyes or nodded their heads in recognition, knowing this company to be one of the leading companies in the production of prosthetics and finding it strange that someone like Ayano would deliberately choose to intern at such a place.

"During my internship, I had the pleasure of working on a company project in which we were to develop and donate prosthetics to children in orphanages. Those children left a profound mark on my life, and they made me realize just why I do all of this." Picking up one of the exoskeletons, Ayano let it attach itself to her arm. It slowly covered the entirety of her limb, perfectly matching the shape and leaving no skin out in the open.

"Support companies still separate themselves into categories, such as hero support and lifestyle support but, in essence, their goals remain the same. They exist to _help_ people, heroes and non-heroes alike. I have incorporated that concept into my inventions. These mechanical exoskeletons have a dual-purpose. They can offer protection to fighting heroes as well as helping average citizens. If you would direct your attention above, please." She gestured above her with her hand, a screen projecting some video clips.

"As you can see, these exoskeletons can fit the shape of any person and any body part – big or small, mutated or not." True to her words, the screen showed many people of differing body types trying on the exoskeletons. It fit Shoji's Dupli-Arms as well as Iida's large engine calves with no difficulty.

"They can even replicate limbs that are no longer there, phantom limbs so to speak." The video then shifted to show children from the orphanage. Missing several appendages, they tried on the exoskeletons, which formed into perfectly functioning arms and legs.

"Prosthetics can be incredibly expensive, not just because of the nature of manufacturing but because of age. Children at this age are always growing and prosthetics nowadays are unable to account for such growth, forcing their families to constantly buy new ones once the children grow even a little bit so that their body parts remain even and balanced. Due to the shapeshifting qualities of my exoskeletons, we will be able to eliminate such problems entirely." Many of the representatives nodded their heads along with her explanation, becoming more and more impressed as she spoke.

Shutting off the screen, the representatives' attentions were directed back to Ayano. "Moving onto the hero aspect of my creations, these exoskeletons offer an extremely protective layer to hero costumes. They are made of lightweight material, which prevents heroes from being slowed down unlike many bulky armors." Without warning, Ayano lobbed one of her mechanical exoskeleton limbs toward a representative. The man fumbled a bit at the sudden action, but was able to catch and carry the object with ease, thus proving that it was indeed lightweight.

The young inventor walked over to the side where a hydraulic press was situated. With the exoskeleton still latched onto her arm, she placed her arm onto the surface of the press and turned on the machine. Some of the support company representatives shouted in surprise, concerned that she might crush her arm. However, there was nothing but confidence on Ayano's face and their concerns were entirely unwarranted.

Despite the extreme force being exerted on her arm, the girl showed no pain and her arm was far from being crushed. "As you can see, my exoskeletons remain lightweight while still maintaining sufficiently high tensile strength. They can withstand extreme forces as well as extreme weather…" Turning off the hydraulic press, she moved to the small kiln next to it. She plunged her arm into the fires of nearly two thousand degrees Fahrenheit. "…All while preventing any harm to the user."

She concluded her speech by hyper cooling the exoskeleton in a vat of liquid nitrogen, earning her a round of applause and impressed representatives. Ayano bowed to them as she removed the exoskeleton from her arm.

One man, however, interrupted the applause. He wore a business suit and possessed a rodent-like head with every feature of his face being akin to that of an animal's. "I have some questions on what you might do if a villain ever got access to this equipment. I do see the value in your inventions, but it could be very dangerous if in the hands of a villain, don't you think? I also know that you were kidnapped by the League of Villains. There were some rumors about your involvement in their weapons. I think most of us here have also seen your performance at the Sports Festival and have witnessed just how destructive your weapons can be. Don't you think your exoskeletons might do more harm than good if an organization like the League of Villains were to get their hands on them?"

For Ayano's safety, it was not revealed to the public just how involved she was with the League of Villains and their weapons. However, rumors still spread and it was known that she had at least some influence on their gear.

Many of the other support company representatives nodded their heads along with the man's probing. Their brows furrowed in concern, seeing how dangerous the exoskeletons could be.

Ayano showed no signs of panic. In fact, she was completely prepared for these types of questions. After all, _she_ was the one _most_ concerned about her support items falling into the wrong hands.

"Would you like to see for yourself what would happen?" Rather than explaining it outright, Ayano directed him to one of the pedestals showcasing an exoskeleton meant for the arm. The man hesitantly stepped forward, feeling uneasy about the amount of confidence in her smirk and in her speech.

He slowly raised his arm, reaching out to touch the exoskeleton. As soon as he did, he quickly jerked his hand back as the equipment short circuited and broke down before his very eyes. Baffled, he turned to the girl for an explanation.

"My exoskeletons are programmed to recognize only one user. If any other being tries to use them, they will short circuit and break down just as you saw. Of course, the user can manually override this programming. Heroes often have to work together on cases, and a situation may arise in which they have to share equipment."

The man with the rodent-like head was about to offer a rebuttal when Ayano interrupted him. "Now, you may have questions along the lines of, 'Well what if a villain manages to force the hero to manually override the programming somehow?' In such a situation, I have programmed another fail-safe. These exoskeletons are designed to monitor the hormones in the blood stream as well as brain wave activity. Many different hormones are produced and brain activity can change drastically when one thinks about different things. The hormones and brain activity of someone planning to do harm in order to protect are _very_ different from someone planning to do harm because they find enjoyment in it."

Ayano tapped at her head. "In other words, my exoskeletons have the ability to detect and distinguish between people with good intentions and those with evil ones. In the case of the latter, they will short circuit and break down just as you saw before. Of course, nothing is ever foolproof, but I believe I have taken the necessary measures to limit as many negative possibilities as I can."

With that, the man had no other questions. He clapped his hands in approval, causing the rest of the representatives to join in.

With her presentation being finished, she was bombarded with a flurry of representatives offering her their business cards and wishing to speak with her more in private. As Ayano spoke with each of them one by one, she saw Bakugou in the corner of her eye.

He had a small smile on his face and eyes full of pride.

Somehow, that made Ayano far happier than any of the offers she received from the representatives.

She walked towards Bakugou when she thought she was finished speaking with all of the representatives, but was stopped by another pair. "Sasaki-kun! A moment of your time please!"

The same rodent-like man from earlier was standing with another person. It was a man wearing a green dress shirt and tie with a black pinstriped blazer. He was wearing sunglasses and a fedora. Ayano's eyes widened in recognition when he removed his sunglasses and tipped his hat at her, revealing two dark moles on the left of his forehead.

"Yotsubashi Rikiya…The President and CEO of the Detnerat Company…" She breathed out in disbelief. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Or rather, what is a man of your standing doing at this festival?"

The students of the Support Course were given a list of all the support companies that would be sending a representative to the festival. The Detnerat Company, the leading lifestyle support manufacturer, was not on that list.

The tall, older man laughed. "Well, it's like you said! Support companies, hero and lifestyle alike, exist to help people! Although we are the leading company in lifestyle support, I think it's about time we delve into hero support as well."

Ayano slightly furrowed her brows. "While that may be true, you could have just as easily sent a representative here rather than come yourself."

"You're just as astute as Matsumoto said you were!" The man laughed again, referring to the CEO of the Matsumoto Prosthetics and Orthotics Manufacturing Company that Ayano interned at. "I wanted to see for myself just what the students of U.A. are capable of, and I was not disappointed in the slightest! You, my dear, are just as impressive as I had hoped!"

He stared at one of her exoskeletons still on a pedestal. "A fail-safe that completely destroys the support item…perhaps my company should make something like that when we make our debut into hero support." He commented, pulling out a business card from inside his blazer.

Handing the card to Ayano, he smiled at her. "I hope you might considering contacting us and working with us in the future." He turned away but turned back after a moment of thought. "Oh! And do keep it a secret that the Detnerat Company has plans to go into the hero support industry! We'll be making an announcement later in December."

Ayano bowed to him. "Of course. Please do enjoy the rest of your time at this festival."

The CEO smiled at her, putting on his sunglasses again. He turned to his colleague, the rodent-like man. "Let us be off, Miyashita!" The two of them went to see the rest of the exhibits.

Ayano stared at their backs, the business card still in her hands. Seeing that there was nobody left to bother her, Bakugou finally walked up to her. "Who was that?" He asked.

"…Just another person from a support company offering me their business card." The girl responded, keeping in mind that the CEO of the Detnerat Company probably wanted to keep his presence here a secret, given what he told her and knowing that the company was not listed in the ones invited to U.A.

Bakugou thought nothing of it since he saw plenty of other men and women offering Ayano their business cards. He helped her pack up her inventions into the large suitcase and carried it for her. In his other hand, he offered her a crêpe that he got from one of the stands on his way here.

Ayano took it gratefully, a smile gracing her face. They walked out of the exhibition site together, intent on exploring the rest of the festivities. After a couple of seconds of walking, Bakugou held his hand out to her.

The girl stared at his hand as she nibbled on the crêpe. Suddenly, Bakugou glared at her. "You better not say anything about my hands being sweaty again…" He threatened.

Ayano laughed, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers. Seeing as she was done working on support items for a while and wanted to just enjoy the festival with him, she saw no harm in holding his hand this time.

"…Just because it is not explicitly stated does not mean they are not sweaty." She commented, squeezing his hand.

"Shut up!" He yelled, but squeezed her hand back nonetheless.


	51. Chapter 51

"Aya-chan! You got scouted by the Detnerat Company?!" The aforementioned girl slowly turned her head up to look at her childhood friend surrounded by several of their classmates. Her listless eyes were a stark contrast to his very excited ones.

At first, Bakugou glared at Midoriya for interrupting his time with Ayano. Although, it's not like they were in a private place and it wasn't like they were on a date. Ayano had once again come down to the lounge just so that she would have a larger space to work on her creations.

After the green-haired boy's outburst, Bakugou's confused gaze went to Ayano. She had already turned her attention back to her work in front of her. "That is correct." She replied in her usual apathetic tone.

"That's amazing! That's the number one company for lifestyle support items!" Midoriya continued energetically. He started going on a little rant about the company. Of course, it wasn't to the same degree that he would have ranted for heroes, but he definitely knew a thing or two about support companies because of Ayano.

Suddenly, the boy realized that he was far more excited about the prospect than Ayano was. He hadn't expected her to outwardly show much enthusiasm in the first place, but he could usually tell from the small glints in her eyes if she was excited about something. Even that glint wasn't there. He tilted his head in confusion as his voice slowly petered out, unsure of Ayano's reaction.

When she noticed that his fervor had faded, Ayano spoke. "I declined their offer." This short statement caused both of her childhood friends to jump a little in surprise and their classmates to shout out in shock.

She declined?! That didn't sound right at all! The Ayano that they both knew would jump at the chance to further her career. "But why?! Isn't this a great opportunity for you?!" Midoriya questioned after he snapped out of the shock.

The young inventor put down her tools and leaned back into the couch. She took a deep breath, relaxing as she placed her hands onto her lap. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts. "I do not believe that it would be in my best interest to accept their offer. To be more precise, it does not align with my interests. It is most certainly an excellent opportunity, just not one that is most beneficial to me." She spoke slowly and evenly, as if she were taking great care in choosing her words.

"Rather than an internship, they offered me a job after the interview. A full-time one, at that. Of course, that would be after I have gone through all the examinations to gain the proper licenses and such. I do not intend to work for another company any time soon. My goal from the beginning was to create my own support company. Although I do commend the Detnerat Company for their work, I had planned on being more hero support oriented. Working for the leading lifestyle support company, though it would be an impressive point to write in my résumé, is not exactly something that will help me attain my goals." She carefully explained.

She didn't let it slip that the Detnerat Company was planning on going into the hero support industry. She had promised the CEO to keep that a secret until the company made an official announcement in December. That fact had initially gotten her interested in working for the company, but the interview she had with Yotsubashi Rikiya was very…off putting. The reasons she just gave Midoriya were entirely valid and were the truth. However, the interview was the thing that finalized her decision.

Due to her circumstances, they had agreed to do the interview over a video call. Throughout the call, the man had referred to quirks as 'special abilities' multiple times. It was a term that Ayano recognized from the book, Meta Liberation War. It was an autobiography that she had read when she was young and first learning about the government's control over quirks. The book stressed that 'special abilities' were a basic human right and the use of them should not be restrained by the government like it is now.

Although Ayano could understand the basic premise of the author's ideas, she could not excuse his terrorist actions. Throughout the interview, it became increasingly clear to her that Yotsubashi Rikiya seemed to almost idolize the author and was very interested in making his beliefs be known through his support items.

As such, Ayano politely declined his offer, making sure to not get too deep into something that she didn't know everything about. The man was kind and didn't take any offense. In fact, he even thanked her for giving him a 'wonderful idea to be used in the company's future hero support items.' She felt uneasy about the whole thing, but it was now out of her hands. Besides, she had no proof of anything but her unsettling feelings.

Midoriya seemed much more disappointed than Ayano was. He understood her reasoning, but it still felt somewhat like a lost opportunity to him.

Suddenly, Uraraka chimed in. "But I heard Aya-chan also got invited to I-Island! Hatsume-san was talking really loudly about it! That's really amazing too!"

Midoriya was magically reinvigorated. "I-Island!? The artificial moving city that's a technological paradise for scientists to research the development of quirks and support items! Aya-chan! You got invited to there?!"

The young inventor nodded. "I was invited to I-Island Academy for a study abroad program." She confirmed. Several of their classmates crowded around and chatted excitedly about the topic.

As time went on, Bakugou's scowl only grew deeper. Not only was he upset that they were all talking around him incessantly, he was angry that he had no idea about anything they were saying. Although, it wasn't really anger at them as much as it was towards himself.

How had they known about Ayano's situation when he, himself, didn't even know? Clearly, Ayano was not the one that told them. Yet, they knew things about his girlfriend that he didn't know. Important things, at that.

She didn't tell the others, but why hadn't she told him? Did she want to? Was she ever going to?

How could he have not known about such important details about his own girlfriend? About her amazing accomplishments and her achievements. Was he so self-absorbed? Was he so unobservant?

…Was he a bad boyfriend?

Having enough of their bothersome prattle, Bakugou stood up in frustration. He stomped towards the elevator and to his room, dragging Ayano with him. Their classmates shouted after them, but he refused to stop, almost as if he didn't even hear them over his rage.

After reaching his room and slamming the door behind them, he finally let go of Ayano's hand. Or rather, she jerked her hand out of his vice-like grip, rubbing her wrist gently. "What is the matter with you?" She asked as she examined the steadily reddening skin on her wrist from where Bakugou had grabbed her so tightly.

"…Why didn't you tell me?" The ash blond mumbled, but Ayano could very clearly hear the anger in his accusatory tone.

She analyzed his behavior and tried determining whether he was really mad at her or the things around him. "About which part? The Detnerat offer or the I-Island Academy one?" She asked, although she had a feeling he meant both. The boy only stared at her with a frown, confirming her suspicions.

She sighed. "If you are upset about the others knowing about the offers before you, I can assure that I did not tell them myself. They heard it from other sources, rumors, and gossip that I had nothing to do with."

"I know that!" Bakugou cut her off, causing her to narrow her eyes at him. It seemed there was more to his anger than she initially thought.

"I already know all that!" He repeated, as if to convince himself more than her. "…But how come you didn't even tell me?!" He nearly shouted.

"I don't see why I needed to." Ayano instantly answered in her usual deadpan way.

There was a deep pang in Bakugou's heart.

"Didn't think you needed to…?" He repeated slowly but with much more anger. "Why wouldn't you need to?! I'm your boyfriend, aren't I!?"

"Yes, you are, but I still don't see why that would mean I have to divulge such information to you. Besides, what does it matter if I already refused the Detnerat offer?" She was beginning to feel irritated herself, letting a bit of annoyance slip into her speech.

"Wha—Of course it matters, you idiot!" Unable to contain it anymore, Bakugou finally snapped and raised his voice.

"In what way, exactly!?" Ayano responded with equal intensity. "In what way has my decision impacted you? I declined their offer, so absolutely nothing changes between us. My daily routine has not changed and neither has yours. So, what does it matter if I didn't tell you that I declined the job offer?"

"Then what about that study abroad program, huh?! Were you not going to tell me about that either?!" Bakugou grit his teeth, preparing for a bad answer.

"I have not made a decision about that yet. If I had decided to accept it, I would tell you. If not, then I would not have." She answered in just the way he had expected, causing him to yell back at her again. "You really weren't going to tell me about it if you didn't go?!"

"It is the same thing! If I choose not to study abroad, how does that affect you at all? If I do choose to study abroad, then I will tell you." Ayano clearly enunciated each word, plainly spelling everything out for him.

"That's not the point! You should be telling me these things anyways because I'm your boyfriend!" He ran his hand roughly through his hair, hoping to calm himself down a little. He was already worried that he might be a bad boyfriend. He didn't need to be yelling at her like this.

Ayano stared at him for a moment, almost doing a double take. "Did you…Did you believe that you had a say in all of this…?" She quietly asked, a small amount of disbelief in her voice.

Of course, Bakugou didn't think he could tell her what she should and shouldn't do. He knew full well that she was completely capable of making her own decisions and that she would follow through with her decisions regardless of the actions of those around her.

Still, he had hoped that she would confide in him. He was her boyfriend and she was his girlfriend after all! When it came to such important decisions, didn't boyfriends and girlfriends talk to each other before making a choice? Even for decisions that weren't so important, they should still be communicating, right?

Ayano crossed her arms, a stern look crossing her face. "It is my decision to walk the path that I want, and mine alone. Before we began dating, I made all of my decisions myself, so why should that change now? I have my goals, and you have yours. I didn't get upset with you when you had decided to take the remedial license training course without telling me first, did I? I only supported your decision because it was what _you_ had already decided. So, unless you're here to tell me that you _don't_ support my decisions, I don't see why we're having this conversation."

What she said was right, but it was also so wrong. He knew that he wouldn't be the deciding factor in her choices, but that didn't mean he didn't still want to hear about them before she made a choice. Of course he supported her decisions! He still wanted to be with her throughout the whole process though, regardless of whether or not it affects their relationship.

Feelings are complicated and irrational like that. Bakugou didn't think he could explain it to her properly.

When the boy didn't respond, Ayano sighed and walked out of his room.

He didn't follow after her.


	52. Chapter 52

"Katsuki." Ayano called after him just as he was about to leave the dorm. The ash blond didn't turn around, only turning his head just enough so that he could see her in his peripherals.

The young inventor observed him. Clearly, he was irritated. As she looked down, she noticed that he was carrying his costume suitcase. "Ah…You're going to your remedial license training course." She realized.

Bakugou clicked his tongue, turning his head back around and continuing through the lounge to the front door. "What's it matter to you? It doesn't change anything for you right? Whether or not I tell you that I'm going to my training doesn't change your daily routine at all right? It doesn't affect you."

Ayano's eye twitched and a small vein popped up on her temple in anger. Oh, so he was planning on being petty today. Well, two can play at that game.

She really shouldn't have, but her judgment was clouded at that moment. "…You're right. I suppose it shouldn't matter to me. Have a nice day." Ayano mechanically spoke as she turned around to walk back to her room.

She didn't see it, but Bakugou's shoulders tensed. He had hoped that she might confront him. When she didn't, an unexpectedly deep sense of disappointment filled him, but it was soon overshadowed by his own anger.

The couple stomped away in opposite directions, not even close to looking back.

Their unsuspecting classmates had been relaxing in the lounge during the whole ordeal. Not a single one of them dared to make a sound with this tense air.

When Bakugou had left the dorm, Midoriya dashed after Ayano. Even after catching up to her, he had to speed-walk because of her fast pace. "Aya-chan! D-Did you and Kacchan have a fight?"

The girl glanced at him but didn't stop. "We had a disagreement." That was all she told him before getting in the elevator.

Midoriya could do nothing but watch as the elevator doors closed. He looked back at the front door where Bakugou had left, and then back to the elevator. Sighing, he hoped that everything would work out for his childhood friends.

* * *

Returning from his remedial license training course, Bakugou reflexively went towards Ayano's room. He jolted in place, stopping himself from continuing.

The boy had always gone to her room after his training course. She would ask how it went, or he would just come in angrily to rant about it. Afterwards, he would watch her as she worked at her desk, or he would take a nap on her bed. It had become a habit. A part of his routine.

Given the previous events, however, he stopped himself from visiting her. He was still somewhat angry at her, but he already missed their relaxing interludes.

Did she feel the same way?

Bakugou rubbed at his head in frustration. He wouldn't give in. He wasn't in the wrong here, so there was no way he would apologize first. Having resolved himself, he walked to his own room.

There, in front of his door, was a suitcase. One very similar to the costume suitcase he was holding. Of course, only one person would leave this in front of his room.

Bakugou felt another pang of disappointment when he realized that there was no note stuck to the handle like the last time.

Picking up the suitcase, he walked into his room and slammed the door shut. Flopping onto his bed, he lifted up the suitcase. Turning here and there to examine it, he saw nothing but the metal outer casing. No note hidden away somewhere.

He flipped the locks of the suitcase up, revealing an altered version of his costume. Rather than the normal black, sleeveless tank top, there was a form-fitting jacket with a high collar. It still sported the original orange X design.

Lifting up the costume, Bakugou felt that the material was rather thick. Deciding to try it on, he felt how warm it could keep him. He looked at himself in the mirror, smirking. The changes were definitely to his style.

He looked back in the suitcase for anything else and found the manual. It detailed all the changes and improvements for this winter version of his costume.

He wasn't disappointed in the warmth of the costume but rather, the lack of warmth in the words of the manual.

He knew this was Ayano's work. He could tell from a mile away even if she hadn't left it outside his room like that. He knew that she had written this manual. It sounded very much like her with how formal it was.

The problem was that it was too formal.

She hadn't left a note like last time. There was no loving message or any semblance of it. Her voice just wasn't there.

If their earlier interaction didn't show that she was still upset with him, then this clearly did. Bakugou sighed in frustration.

Despite her annoyance at him, she had still made these winter changes for him. It wasn't even asked of her either. She had decided on her own to put aside her feelings to think of him. To help him achieve his goals.

He flopped back onto his bed, laying on his back as his arm covered his eyes. He grit his teeth.

…Was he wrong?

Even after all that, she only thought of him and what she could do to help him. Should he set aside his own feelings? Should he just leave her to her own devices so that she could achieve her goals? Should he just wait for her to tell him what she had decided on?

After thinking about it, of course he was happy that his girl got invited to study abroad at the prestigious I-Island. Underlying that happiness, however, was a feeling of dread.

If she wanted to go, then he obviously would let her. Then again, a reason why they fought was because deep down, he didn't really want her to go.

If she accepted, when would she leave? This month? At the end of the school year? How much longer would he have with her?

How long would she be there? They were still first-years. Would she study there for a year? For two? What if she got offered a job or a research position there? He didn't doubt that she had the capabilities to garner such attention. If that happened, wouldn't she end up staying longer than intended?

Would she be able to visit and come back to Japan? How often would she be able to? I-Island wasn't even open to the public yet, only hosting families of the researchers and scientists there. The island's security system is even on par with that of Tartarus Prison. Surely, it wouldn't be easy for her to just come and go as she pleased.

Would she even want to come back? Would she want to stay on I-Island after experiencing what they have to offer? She said that she wanted her career in the future to stay in Japan, but feelings change.

…Would her feelings for him change?

Bakugou furiously shook his head, throwing all thoughts of the idea out. There was no way she would do that. If there was one thing he wouldn't let her do, it was that.

Still, everything else scared him whether he wanted to admit it or not.

If she chose to accept, he wouldn't be ready for it.

He wasn't ready for her to leave his side, to not be able to visit her room whenever he pleased, to not have her leave a cute note with an improved costume, to not go on walks with her, to not hold her hand and have her complain about his sweaty ones.

He wasn't ready for it.

He wanted her to talk to him about these things so he could mentally prepare himself. He wanted to know what offers she got so that he would know beforehand what he was getting himself into.

He needed time, and much more of it.

Time to think. Time to prepare. Time to spend with her if she wasn't going to be by his side for much longer.

Bakugou closed his eyes and easily fell asleep, the fatigue from his remedial license training course kicking in along with his worries about Ayano.

* * *

Class 1-A, 1-B, and several students of the support course gathered for a joint training battle at Ground Gamma. Class 1-A and 1-B were to go head-to-head in a 4-on-4 battle. The team to capture four members of the opposing team will win. If, after twenty minutes, neither team has captured four members of the opposing, then the team that has captured more will win.

Many of the students were wearing winter versions of their costumes and had other improvements as well. As such, the support course students who worked on such costumes were here to observe the battle and see if any further improvements should be made.

Of course, Ayano was no exception. She, along with her peers, came to see the fruits of their labor.

Her eyes travelled to Bakugou's figure, and she stared at him. The winter costume suited him just as well as she had hoped. Perhaps even better.

Bakugou felt a pair of eyes on him. As he turned to face her, Ayano immediately looked away and started talking with Fujiyoshi Yuudai.

A large vein appeared on his temple as he grit his teeth in anger. Oh, so she was giving him the cold shoulder. Well, two could play at that game.

He had thought about going to her several times to thank her for the costume. Whether or not he was actually going to do it wasn't determined yet, but now it most certainly was.

She'd rather talk with that preppy prick than him?!

The blond whipped his head back around, a heavy scowl on his face as he walked off.

Midoriya watched as Bakugou stomped away. His head turned to Ayano as she was still talking with Fujiyoshi. His brows furrowed, the concern for his childhood friends growing. He had no time to think on it though because the joint training battle was about to start.

After they drew lots to decide the teams, the first group jumped right into it. Ayano watched in admiration as she saw how vastly everyone had improved, Class 1-A and 1-B both.

When the third round had ended, it was finally time for Bakugou's group to go. Ayano knew that he had improved, but she needed to see just how much.

The two of them had gone through so much together. Did he finally realize that a hero isn't just someone who wins? That it's also someone who can save and protect?

After seeing him save Jiro from Kamakiri Togaru's attack, her questions were answered. Bakugou had saved her by kicking her out of the way, but he had saved her nonetheless.

He had changed, but he really hadn't at the same time. His goal had always remained the same: to surpass All Might and become the strongest.

Seeing him in action today, Ayano was left with her thoughts.

What was she doing here? While Bakugou was getting closer and closer to achieving his goals, she was wasting her time being concerned over trivial things. While he was getting closer to becoming a pro hero and getting his license, Ayano had yet to do anything of the sort.

With that, she turned around and started walking back towards the main campus.

"Eh? Sasaki, aren't you going to at least finish watching your boyfriend's match?" Fujiyoshi asked her. He knew she was going to leave as soon as it was over, but he hadn't expected her to leave in the middle of it. The match had only started!

"Why do I have to watch a battle in which I already know of the outcome?" She asked rhetorically. Monoma from Class 1-B had overheard her and ran to block her path. "Huuuuh!? And what outcome would that be?!" He asked irritatedly as he brought his head close beneath hers to look up at her derisively.

"A perfect 4-0 victory, fit only for the strongest." Ayano responded immediately, staring Monoma right in the eyes.

He flinched at her piercing gaze, but his pride wouldn't let him back down. She didn't explicitly say who would be victorious, but it was obvious who she was referring to. "Huuuh?! Are you saying Class B is weak?!"

Ayano walked around him as she spoke again. "I never said anything like that. Class B isn't weak at all. It's just that Katsuki is stronger." She walked out of Ground Gamma, never slowing down and never turning back.

True to her expectations, Team A ended up with a perfect 4-0 victory with no injuries and in just five minutes. Walking out of the battle site, Bakugou noticed that Ayano was no longer among the spectators.

"Oh! Aya-chan already left, Kacchan!" Midoriya called out to him when he noticed that the blond had been moving his head around, searching for the girl.

"Who said I was looking for her, you piece of crap!?" Bakugou yelled at him, but everyone knew the truth.

"You know, I really thought you two were such a weird couple at first, but the more I see you guys, the more I think you're perfect for each other!" Mina complimented, causing the rest of Class 1-A to nod their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, you should've seen what she said to Monoma before she left! She really put him in his place!" Kaminari laughed, glad that someone finally stuck it to the annoying copycat.

When Bakugou raised an eyebrow in question, Midoriya explained everything to him. "She left in the middle of your fight because she said she already knew the outcome. 'A perfect 4-0 victory, fit only for the strongest' is what she said, and that there was no point in watching if she already knew that."

At that moment, Bakugou was immensely relieved that Ayano had given him a high collar on his winter costume because he was currently pulling it up further in an attempt to hide his blush. "Fuck! If she said all that, she could've at least stuck around to congratulate me or something…" The boy muttered behind his collar, but Midoriya had still heard him.

Hearing Ayano's words and looking at Bakugou's retreating back, Midoriya smiled. His two childhood friends would be okay after all.

* * *

It was a Sunday afternoon in early December when Bakugou kicked open Ayano's door and barged in.

Of course, it was without invitation, but Ayano was strangely happy.

This was something she hadn't experienced in quite a while, and she was beginning to miss his abrasive appearances.

Just as she turned in her seat to face him, Bakugou thrust a card right in front of her. She looked up at his face in question, but he was looking to the side in embarrassment.

Slowly taking the card from his hands, she saw the word 'HERO' printed on it. Carefully turning it over, she saw his picture and his information printed on the front.

It was his provisional hero license.

Ayano's eyes almost teared up, but she held them back when the weight of everything fell on her. Seeing him in the joint training battle with Class 1-B and seeing him with his license, Ayano made her decision. She couldn't waste more time.

" **I'm going to I-Island.** "


	53. Chapter 53

" **I'm going to I-Island."**

The ensuing silence was palpable. Ayano forced herself to look at Bakugou. She was slightly afraid of what she would see, but he deserved a face-to-face conversation.

His expression was nothing short of utter shock. Of course, that was most certainly not the response one would expect to get from their girlfriend of all people. Especially for a moment like this.

He had just shown her his provisional hero license, and he got this bombshell in return?!

Ayano never really adhered to expectations and Bakugou rarely ever knew what she was truly thinking, but that declaration was hardly an appropriate response in this situation…right!?

Not only that, but they hadn't spoken to each other civilly since their fight.

He was shocked but surprisingly, his shock didn't fade into anger.

It faded into defeat, and now it was Ayano's turn to be shocked. That wasn't the reaction she was expecting from him. Her fingers tightened their grip on his hero license in anticipation of his words.

"…So you decided…" He breathed out, barely above a whisper. It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement. It was as if he were trying to convince himself of what he just heard.

Bakugou let out a shuddering sigh, tearing his gaze from Ayano's. He slowly walked over to her bed to sit on it, his elbows leaning on his knees and his head bent over into his hands. Ayano's head turned to follow him, her hands still tightly holding the license.

After a few moments of silence to collect himself, Bakugou spoke again. "When did you decide?" He asked.

"Just now."

His head jolted up at that, directly meeting Ayano's eyes. Unusually, they didn't hold the typical fire in them that they always did. She didn't look away from him, but her eyes showed guilt – they were apologetic even.

"I decided when I saw your provisional hero license." She immediately began explaining, knowing he was going to ask anyways. "You are getting closer and closer to your goal…meanwhile, I am just wasting my time."

Her brows furrowed in frustration and she grit her teeth. "Seeing you in that joint training battle with Class 1-B…I saw how far ahead you had gotten when you saved Jiro-san. You finally weren't a hero that just wins. You became a hero that saves _and_ wins."

Ayano smiled a bit, but it disappeared into a frown soon after. "In that moment, I was so proud of you. More than you could ever know. Then, my insecurities decided to surface. Perhaps that word may be a bit much given my personality, but I can't seem to think of a better one to describe my feelings. Seeing you come so far, develop so much…I couldn't help but think that I'm basically just where I started to begin with."

"The Hero Course and Support Course here are fundamentally structured differently. Our classes don't dedicate time to undergo our licensing exams like yours do. We don't have as many opportunities. There are just so many laws that it makes it difficult to have an aggressive and progressive program in the Support Department no matter what school you go to." She shook her head, as if berating herself.

"I know that…I know that…But that doesn't mean I don't feel like I'm not going anywhere. That's why I need to do something now. I received many offers from various support companies in Japan, but that's not good enough. If I were to work for a major support company, I may end up stuck in their shadow forever. I can't let that happen. I need to catch up to you."

Bakugou wanted to interrupt. He really wanted to, but he couldn't. Not when Ayano looked like that. He had never seen her look so defeated before. Her state after her kidnapping was one thing. Anybody would be mentally scarred after that.

This was something else entirely though. She just looked so vulnerable. Despite what everyone thought and despite how she always acted, Ayano was indeed just a high school girl. She was just a teenager like everyone else. She had her weaknesses, her problems, and her insecurities. Maybe she had less than most others, but she still had them. They weren't the product of some traumatic experience, but of just going through life itself.

She was feeling incompetent, like she wasn't good enough, and it made her question herself. It was entirely normal, especially for people their age.

Bakugou just couldn't believe he didn't see it earlier. What kind of boyfriend was he!? Of course, it's not like Ayano was one to really let her emotions show, but he thought he might be the exception to that.

Was he not someone she could rely on when it came to these things? He wanted to be someone she could depend on, be it for trivial things or serious ones.

"And…" Ayano began again, Bakugou's ears perking up to hear her. "Even though I had made the decision to catch up to you, I still couldn't fully put everything I had into it. I-Island is the best opportunity to help me reach my goals. I can learn things there that I never would be able to in Japan. I had a full understanding of that, but…I also knew that I didn't want to leave you. That I wasn't prepared to."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bakugou finally spoke, his hands balling into fists.

"I already told you that I need to make these decisions by myse—" "Not that!" He interrupted her.

"I'm not talking about that. Why didn't you tell me that you were feeling insecure? Why didn't you tell me about how you felt this whole time?!" His voice was slowly raising. He was a bit upset with her for shouldering all of this by herself, but he was more upset with himself.

He was mad that he wasn't someone she was relying on, but he was also mad that he hadn't brought this up sooner. That he wasn't the one to initiate this conversation. If he hadn't been so petty this whole time, he could have talked things out with her before it got this far. They were both feeling the same way. Why couldn't they understand each other better then?

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why didn't you let me help you!?" He shouted at her.

"It's because of that!" Ayano pointed at him, confusing him. "It's because of that…that face of yours! The face you're making right now. I didn't want to see that kind of face while I was trying to make my decision."

"What? Did you think I wouldn't let you go?" Bakugou asked, almost offended. He was relieved when she shook her head.

"I'm not dumb enough to fall in love with someone that wouldn't let me make my own decisions…but I am dumb enough to fall for you so much that your words weigh more heavily than my own." Ayano put her head in her hand, the mental fatigue of the conversation setting in.

At his confused look, Ayano elaborated. "Katsuki, I don't think you understand just how much your words mean to me. I knew you would support my decision to study abroad in I-Island…but just because you would let me go doesn't mean you _want_ me to."

He looked down as she gently took his hand into her own. Their warmth mingled together as their hands connected. "I know you feel the same way as I do, Katsuki. We may be very different, but we tend to agree on these things."

She was right. Just like before when they both blamed themselves for All Might's end, they now both felt the same way here. He would never stop her from doing what she wanted, but he didn't want her to go. He wasn't prepared to let her go.

He looked back up at her when her other hand cupped his cheek. "If I told you about this before I made my own decision, your words could easily sway me. If you were to make the face you're making now, and tell me that you don't want me to go…I knew that I would break. I would instantly use that as an excuse to somehow justify not accepting the offer. I couldn't let something like that decide my fate. That's why I didn't tell you anything before I m—"

She was cut off by Bakugou roughly pulling her flush against him, her cheek pressing into his beating chest. "I don't want you to go…" He admitted.

"I don't want you to go…" He repeated. "…but if you don't go to I-Island, I'll never forgive you." He declared, finalizing his resolve by holding her tighter. She made the decision that she thought was best for her. She made her choice, and now he had to make his.

Ayano returned his embrace with equal force, giving a small breathy laugh. "You don't want me to go, but you want me to go. Which is it?" She nuzzled her head into him.

Bakugou pushed her away slightly so he could look her in the eyes. "Just so we're clear, I'm still mad that you didn't tell me about the study abroad stuff. I know why you didn't now, but I want you to depend on me more. I'm your boyfriend, aren't I? You should come to me if you're having problems, and you can tell me anything."

"I'll try…" She quietly said. They both knew it wouldn't be easy, but at least she had promised to try. Bakugou also had issues with letting his problems out, always shouldering his own burdens. Blaming himself for getting kidnapped by the League of Villains and All Might's end the perfect example of that. He internally promised that he would try to be more open too.

"Just don't tell me you don't want me to go or do something until I've already made my decision." Ayano added. The ash blond rolled his eyes at that.

They moved to lay down on her bed, all the while still embracing. "When do you leave?" Bakugou asked the dreaded question.

"The program lasts for the entirety of our second year, but it is almost our Winter Break and then our first year will be over. Since there are no other major events for Support Course students other than final exams, the I-Island directors told me that I could arrive earlier if I wished, so long as U.A. allows me." Ayano explained. She felt Bakugou hold tighter.

"…Do you want to?" He asked another dreaded question.

"No…I don't want to…But I should." He held on even tighter at her answer.

"…Then do it." Bakugou managed to get the words out, his actions contradicting his words.

Ayano nodded her head against him. "I think I will. Thank you."

After some more silence, the boy asked more questions. "The security there is pretty tight, isn't it? It's not open to the public, so I can't visit but will you be allowed to come back at all while you're there?"

The girl hummed in thought. "I will have to ask about that. Hopefully, I will be permitted leave on major holidays and breaks at the very least." Bakugou nodded, squeezing her as if to reassure them both.

It was her turn to ask a question. "Does your phone plan cover international calls?" As expected, the blond shook his head. "Neither does mine." Ayano responded.

"I suppose I can invent a communication device with an international range." She remarked, but then frowned. "Although, I highly doubt a place like I-Island would overlook something like that. They must have some sort of electromagnetic field surrounding the island to prevent unmonitored calls because of all the confidential information and government research located there. If not, then that would be incredibly concerning."

Bakugou smiled down at her as she muttered about various solutions. He scoffed, catching her attention. "We don't need something like that, so don't worry about it. It's just one year and we'll both probably be too busy with school to talk anyways." He may have sounded like the usual Bakugou who roughly brushed everything off, but his expression didn't match his words one bit.

Ayano understood that this was just his way of dealing with the situation. He wouldn't admit to weakness so easily because he knew that it would make her worry more. So, she decided to humor him. "I suppose you're right. After all, we didn't talk to each other for most of junior high…"

Neither of them smiled to make the act more convincing. They just couldn't. Instead, they just pulled each other closer, holding onto each other's warmth to remember that they were still together. To cling to the limited time they had left with each other.

One year shouldn't have been such a big deal. Yet, they couldn't help feeling this way.

"You better not look at some lame foreign boy while you're there." Bakugou quipped.

"You know I've only ever looked at you. I would tell you not to look at some other girl, but your personality does a fine job of repelling most, if not all, of them." She countered, chuckling.

"Hey!" He shouted, but didn't really have the heart to fight back right now. He wanted to just enjoy this peace. "Pfft, all those other girls can fuck off. I already have you."

The girl smiled, nestling closer to him if that were even possible. Bakugou continued. "Also, I'm telling you not to look at other guys so that they don't bother you. If you even so much as give them the time of day, they'll never leave you alone."

Ayano laughed again. "Oh, so you're worried about me?"

"I just don't trust those other guys." He responded, looking away with a small blush.

She cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. "Then, you can trust me. Trust that I won't look at any other man but you. That I won't even give them the time of day."

"I'm holding you to that. You better remember it." He gruffly answered.

They both leaned in for a kiss, sealing their promises to each other.


	54. Chapter 54

"Hey! Hey! Bakugou, is everything alright with you and Aya-chan?" Kirishima asked congenially, wrapping an arm around the blond's shoulder when he entered the lounge.

Bakugou instantly shrugged the redhead's arm off. "Why the fuck wouldn't it be?" He gruffly responded.

Kirishima raised both of his hands in a casual surrender motion. "I don't know, I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong since you guys had that fight. She hasn't been in the dorms much, so I was just wondering."

Kaminari chimed in. "Yeah, none of us have seen you guys acting all lovey-dovey in the lounge lately. Well, not that we really _want_ to see that, but it got us thinking."

Glaring at the electric boy, Bakugou responded. "Everything is fine, so you guys can mind your own damn business. Ayano is busy preparing for final exams. That's it." Of course, he wouldn't mention that he was feeling the slightest bit lonely because of that fact.

Kaminari nearly jumped out of his chair. "Final exams?! But isn't that, like, _months_ away?!" He asked, a nervous sweat beginning to bead at his temples.

"Yeah, but she's taking them early so she can get on with the study abroad program at I-Island." Bakugou revealed. He had already been aware of this, but admitting it aloud still brought him a bit of pain.

"Welcome back, Aya-chan!" The group of boys heard Mina's voice from the front door. They turned their heads to see a weary looking Ayano. Bakugou instantly walked towards her.

"Give me that." He commanded, referring to her school bag. Before she could even refuse, he snatched the bag from her, going off to set it down on one of the tables. He entered the kitchen and returned with a glass of water, handing it to the girl without a word. She gently smiled, nodding her head in thanks as she removed her shoes and exchanged them for slippers.

Kaminari walked up with Kirishima, his hands behind his head and chuckling. "You know, for a guy who acts all tough like you do, you're actually just a big softie!" He was promptly met with a hard punch to the top of his head by the ash blond.

Ignoring the boys, Mina and some of the other girls expressed their concerns to Ayano. "You look really tired, Aya-chan! Is preparing for final exams really that tough?" They asked, a little fearful of her answer because they too would be going through the same stress in a couple of months.

"Final exams are not my concern. It is the extra projects and assignments that have been given to me. In my homeroom teacher's words, 'The U.A. Support Department would be a laughing stock if we sent an amateur to I-Island!' As such, he has taken it upon himself to give me extra training in addition to regular school work and final exam preparations. It would be similar to remedial lessons, I suppose." Ayano explained.

Kirishima, Kaminari, Sato, Sero, and Mina all shivered, remembering how they had failed the previous practical exam and how harsh Aizawa was in their resulting late night remedial lessons during the training camp. "That must be tough…" They all mumbled sympathetically.

"Nothing I can't handle." Ayano replied confidently, causing Bakugou to smirk, a surge of pride going through him.

"But wow! If you're preparing for final exams already, when are you taking them?" Uraraka asked.

"In two weeks." "TWO WEEKS?!" The others shouted back.

"A-And you're leaving in two weeks then?!" Mina questioned. All but Bakugou were shocked when the girl nodded her head. She had already discussed this with him, but it was no less disappointing hearing it again.

"That's so soon! We have to throw you a farewell party!" Kirishima exclaimed, the others nodding in agreement.

"Yeah! When's your farewell date? We can have the party that night!" Mina asked the couple. The two stared at her for a moment, blinking once in slight confusion. "Our _what_?" Bakugou asked first.

"…"

"WHHHHAAAATTT?! You guys don't have a farewell date yet? You know! The last date that you guys are supposed to go on before Aya-chan gets shipped off to I-Island! Also a date to congratulate her on all her success! _That_ date!" Hagakure explained, as if to jog their memory.

Ayano and Bakugou looked at each other for a moment before looking back at their classmates. "The fuck are you going on about?" Bakugou asked.

Both Mina and Hagakure were shocked still. Although, they probably should have expected this, coming from a guy like Bakugou and a girl like Ayano.

Kaminari and Mineta shook their heads and sighed. The electric boy wrapped his arm over Bakugou's shoulder as the grape boy propped his elbow on Bakugou's leg. "Oh, Bakugou! You really are so clueless about women, aren't you?" They teased, as if they knew something he didn't.

"And yet, he's still the only one of us who has a girlfriend." Sero teased them back. "Shut up! Don't remind us!" The girl-crazed duo yelled back with comical tears. Their tears soon turned into real ones when they were hit by Bakugou.

Once again ignoring the boys, the girls questioned Ayano. "How could you guys still not have set up a date? In _two weeks,_ you'll have to go long-distance! You won't have contact with each other for a _whole year_! Aren't you concerned about your relationship?!"

Looking at her boyfriend once more, she turned her attention back to the girls. "Not particularly, no." "Are you guys even dating?!"

Truthfully, Ayano was upset about not being able to see him for a whole year. However, that didn't mean she was 'concerned about their relationship' like the girls suggested. They had worked out their misunderstandings and they had made promises to each other. If anything, their relationship was stronger than ever. She had complete and utter faith in him.

Still, maybe the girls were right in some respects. Having at least one date before she left did sound very appealing to Ayano, and she most certainly wouldn't be opposed to the idea. Humming in thought, she suggested, "How about next Saturday? The day before I depart for I-Island."

Her suggestion made Bakugou pause in his beatings of Kaminari and Mineta. "…Fine with me." He mumbled, a little embarrassed.

The girls gushed and squealed while the guys pat Bakugou on the back and jostled him around.

Though surrounded by their classmates, the couple made brief eye contact. They gave each other a soft smile before being whisked away by the other students.

* * *

Bakugou stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting with his shirt collar. He wore simple black pants with a reddish-orange shirt under a completely unbuttoned black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

Pop the collar? Or don't pop the collar?

He flipped the collar up, staring at himself for a moment. He then flipped it back down, staring at himself from a different angle. He flipped the collar back up, a scowl emerging. He let out a frustrated yell and furiously rubbed at his head with both hands.

Damn it, why was he so nervous!? It was just a date! Technically, they had already been on one before if they counted that time she brought him with her to the orphanage.

Still, this one was definitely different. This time, they had every intention of doing 'couple-like things' as their friends called it. It was also the last time he'd get to go on a date with her before she left.

It had to be perfect.

She deserved at least that much.

Ultimately deciding to leave his collar popped, he pat some baby powder onto his hands to get rid of the excess sweat and left his room with determination.

Reaching her door, he knocked on it rather than just barging in. Hearing her faint footsteps, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

That breath, however, got caught in his throat the second he laid eyes on her.

She would have looked fine in anything to him, but she looked extra stunning in this moment.

Her hair was normally a bit unruly and choppy because it was constantly being singed off at the ends due to her explosive experiments. Other times, once her hair got long enough that it bothered her while she worked, she would simply cut off parts of it just enough so that it wouldn't get in the way anymore. She didn't care much for her appearance, so long as it didn't hinder her productivity and was still hygienic.

Now, she had a real haircut. One that styled her hair rather than just chopped it off. The ends were even with each other, ending at about her chin and no burns or split ends in sight.

His eyes travelled further down to see her wearing a black choker with a small gem in the center. She had never worn jewelry before, unless her projection wristband counted.

She wore a black, form fitting, off-the-shoulder top tucked into a high waisted, reddish-orange flared skirt that reached just above her knees.

It may have been accidental, but it looked like they were matching in terms of the color scheme.

And was that makeup she was wearing?!

Bakugou's cheeks were beginning to match the color of his undershirt and the color of her skirt.

Ayano was starting to look the same as she coughed awkwardly into her hand. "Your constant staring is beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. After all, this kind of outfit doesn't suit me…"

The boy flinched, immediately snapping out of it. "That's not it! I just…I didn't think…you had such…girly clothes…" He managed out.

"I don't." She responded. It was true. Ayano didn't really own anything more feminine past her school uniforms. She valued comfort and practicality over all else. Of course, when the other girls found out about this, they deemed it unacceptable and took it upon themselves to intervene. "The choker belongs to Jiro-san, the top to Ashido-san, and the skirt to Uraraka-san." She explained.

"…A-And the makeup…?" He questioned. "Hagakure-san's, surprisingly. She said she likes doing makeup for others because she is unable to do it for herself…Is it weird…?" Ayano tentatively asked.

Bakugou had his hand to his mouth, as if to try covering up his blushing and embarrassment. "No, not weird. I just…I'm not used to it." He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "…You look good." He whispered, but Ayano clearly heard him.

She also looked away in embarrassment. "You too…" She mumbled, a soft smile on her lips.

Still not looking at her, Bakugou held out his hand to her. She placed her hand in his, gripping tightly. Her eyes widened slightly. "They're not sweaty at all." She remarked.

He scoffed. "I knew you were gonna say something about it…"


	55. Chapter 55

The couple walked hand in hand towards the shopping plaza, a comfortable silence falling upon them. Despite their previous fight revolving around miscommunication, there seemed to be no reason for them to speak now.

The not-so-subtle sidelong glances at each other. The firm squeezes of their intertwined hands each time they stopped at a crosswalk. The way that they both seemed to walk closer and closer together.

All of these silent gestures were more than good enough communication for the both of them.

Upon reaching the shopping plaza, the two stopped to look at each other. "I believe I have a substantial understanding of our classmates' personalities. I'm going to assume that they planned something for us regardless of whether or not you objected?" Ayano asked.

Bakugou mumbled some obscenities as he dug into his back pockets, confirming her suspicions. The boy had a rather irritating one-sided conversation with their classmates who believed they had the right to barge in on their date plans. It was mostly just Bakugou trying to shove them out of his room and their classmates refusing to relent, lecturing him about what constitutes a 'good date.'

The couple looked down at the pair of movie tickets, Bakugou with disgust and Ayano with her usual apathy tinged with a bit of confusion.

The tickets were for an obnoxious and over-the-top romantic film that was currently very popular among teen girls. That is, teen girls that aren't like Ayano.

The young inventor tilted her head, blinking a few times before speaking. "Well…it appears that our classmates do not have a substantial understanding of _our_ personalities. That, or they have completely disregarded our tastes. Unfortunately, I have no interest in watching this film but I am willing to if you want to."

"Fuck, no." Was Bakugou's immediate response. He knew that she wouldn't be interested in such garbage anyways, but he was no less relieved that they wouldn't have to sit through two hours of some froufrou movie. "What the hell were they thinking?" He grumbled.

"I suppose they thought this would be an appropriate movie for a date. It appears that this theater has couples' seating, as these tickets are for such seats." Ayano surmised, pointing to the print on the tickets. "Although, it would be a shame to ignore their good intentions. Perhaps we can go to the theater and request an exchange for tickets to another movie."

Bakugou nodded in approval, beginning to walk the short distance towards the movie theater. Upon reaching the ticket booth, Ayano decided to do the talking for obvious reasons. The ash blond stayed silent beside her until he heard whispers from a group of boys nearby.

"Hey, is that who I think it is?"

"Woah! No way! That's him, right?"

"It's got to be!"

The topic of their whispered conversation grumbled. After this long, people still ogled him because of his performance at the Sports Festival. His attitude at the closing ceremony still lives on in infamy.

"Yeah! It's the kid from the sludge incident!"

Bakugou instantly turned his head to the group of boys, giving them a glare even worse than the one he gave All Might at the Sports Festival. People whispering about him because of the Sports Festival was one thing, but bringing up the sludge incident was even more angering.

He was about to give them a piece of his mind when he felt a squeeze on the hand still holding Ayano's. She gave him a look from the corner of her eye and then quickly returned to negotiating with the man stationed at the ticket booth.

The blond released an aggravated sigh. Those boys were lucky that he wasn't alone, otherwise they would have been pummeled into the ground already.

He took a look at Ayano to calm down as she spoke to the ticket booth attendant. His usual angry features softened as he stared at her. He didn't need to get into a fight right now. Not when they were in the middle of their last date before she went to I-Island. She deserved better.

Bakugou was able to keep his temper under control until he heard some more whispers from the group of boys.

"Yikes! He's even worse in person!"

"Yeah, but who's that next to him? I didn't know he had a girlfriend?"

"Wait! Isn't that the support girl from the U.A. Sports Festival?"

"Hey, you're right! I almost didn't recognize her. She's way prettier in person!"

This time, not even the feeling of Ayano's hand in his could stop him from pouncing on the boys. "YOU GOT A PROBLEM, HUH?! WHY DON'T YOU MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS, YOU FUCKERS!"

After receiving some money from the attendant, Ayano quickly bowed in appreciation and followed after Bakugou. Before he could do irreparable damage to the boys, she pulled back on his shirt collar, slightly choking him. "I apologize for his lack of manners. I hope he has not disturbed you too much." She bowed politely before taking away a pouting Bakugou.

"It seems you are unable to go a single day without some sort of altercation." Ayano accused.

"I didn't like the way they were looking at you…" Bakugou grumbled as he looked away like a little boy who didn't think he was ever in the wrong. Ayano almost laughed at how childish he looked right now.

Although she was admonishing him for his actions, she was also a bit proud of him. After all, she _had_ heard what he heard. Despite being reminded of the sludge incident that he hates so much, he held back for her sake.

She gave a small smile. "I appreciate the concern, but that does not give you the right to get physical with people. Anyways, thank you for trying to 'protect my honor,' as others would put it. Try to be a little more civil next time though, please." She gave him a quick peck to the cheek before counting the money she received from the ticket booth attendant.

Bakugou was stunned momentarily before quickly recovering. He grabbed her chin, pulling her face up so that he could aggressively kiss her. "…You call that a kiss?" He breathed out as he pulled away.

"We are in public. I was trying to be modest." She answered. "Who cares? People can learn to mind their own business." He scoffed in response.

Ayano just shook her head in disapproval. "I attempted to exchange the tickets for another movie, but there was not one that I thought would interest us. Instead, I just received a refund to repay whoever bought the tickets in the first place."

Already, the date wasn't going as intended. Not only did Bakugou attack someone, but their plan to watch a movie also failed. He knew he shouldn't have trusted their classmates! "Then we have around two hours to just do something else. You're not hungry yet, right?" He asked as he glanced at his watch.

"That is correct. It is still a bit too early for lunch." Ayano answered, squeezing his hand gently. "I wouldn't mind just walking around with you for a while." She suggested, smiling up at him.

Bakugou flinched in surprise, blushing a bit. "You sure know how to say some embarrassing things with such a straight face…" He mumbled, but squeezed her hand back nonetheless.

"I only speak the truth." The girl smiled triumphantly, pulling him along towards a destination neither of them knew.

Unfortunately, they didn't even walk a couple of meters before screams of terror and cries for help reached their ears. They turned towards the source to see people running from what seemed to be large, mutated insects.

Bakugou immediately let go of Ayano's hand. His first instinct was to go find the villain behind the chaos, but he stopped himself when he thought about her. Shouldn't his first instinct be to ensure his girlfriend's safety and lead her out of harm's way? He turned to do just that, only to be surprised at the sight.

Ayano strapped on an ear piece that she had hidden in the strands of her hair. She pulled out another ear piece hidden within her hair, handing it to Bakugou as she bent down to retrieve her projection wristband inside her right boot. She strapped it on, digging into her other boot to find a small vial of reddish-orange pellets. They were the mini explosives she used during the U.A. Sports Festival. Lifting up her shirt slightly, she revealed a few of the electronic disks she used during the U.A. Entrance Exam tucked into the waistband of her skirt.

"I couldn't take many of my inventions because of the objections from the other girls, so I had to hide them. It isn't much, but these will have to do." The young inventor explained as she tapped on her projection wristband, a holographic screen appearing above it. She looked up to see a somewhat shocked Bakugou with the extra ear piece still laying in his palm.

"You have your provisional hero license now, don't you?" She asked rhetorically, smirking at him. "Go make use of it then."

Bakugou smirked back as he clenched his fingers over the ear piece, his heart almost fluttering at her words.

Hot damn, did he love this girl.

He dashed off towards the source of the screams, putting the ear piece in.

Ayano ran into a nearby building, quickly ascending the stairs to gain access to the roof. "Katsuki, do you read me?" She spoke as she ran, seeing him below her. "Loud and clear." He responded, beginning to use his quirk to give him a burst of speed.

"Behind you, four o'clock." She quickly spoke. Bakugou instantly turned in that direction, blasting one of the insects heading towards him.

The girl tapped on the keyboard displayed on her arm from her projection wristband. She looked down towards the ground as she ran across rooftops. The projected screen displayed whatever information it could as she hovered it over one of the huge insects chasing a civilian. A crosshair appeared on the screen, locking onto the monster. One of the explosive pellets shot out from her wristband, hitting its mark and causing the bug to explode.

"All of these insects appear to be mutated in a similar way, and they all seem to be coming from the same general direction. This leads me to believe that this is the work of one villain." She shot another mutated insect as she explained. "Given the radius of the attack, I think we can assume that the quirk user must be using a higher vantage point in order to observe all of the destruction. I'm running across buildings to see if I can spot them. Handle the groundwork in case my prediction is incorrect and protect the civilians with the other heroes."

Hearing his grunt of compliance, Ayano focused her efforts on scanning rooftops. As the two ran and fought their way through, there were more and more insects which was a good indicator of the source of all of the chaos.

Eventually, Ayano spotted the perpetrator. "Katsuki! He's on the building with the water tank!" "On it!"

Ayano gave herself away when she had to contact Bakugou, alerting the villain of her presence. She threw her electronic disks at the villain but he was able to dodge away from them easily, causing them to lodge into the rooftop.

The young inventor then aimed at him with her wristband, another explosive pellet coming from it. He was able to dodge from that as well, the mini explosive hitting the water tank instead. Water gushed out from the gaping hole from the explosion, flowing onto the rooftop and falling over the ledges.

"Really?! This is what the heroes send after me?! An amateur?!" The villain scoffed, his shoes splashing into the water as he landed.

There wasn't a single bit of concern on Ayano's face as she smirked at him. She simply pressed a button on her projection wristband, activating the electronic disks still lodged into the rooftop. The disks sent out an electric shock, the electricity surging through the water and into the unsuspecting villain. As he cried out in agony, Ayano spoke, "I suppose you could consider me an amateur if you wanted to, but… _he_ certainly isn't."

In that moment, Bakugou appeared to finish him off. "Howitzer Impact!"

A flurry of sparks and explosions flew about in every direction. After the smoke cleared, Ayano saw Bakugou lifting the knocked-out villain by his shirt collar. They smiled at each other, the excitement clear in their eyes. They would have admired each other for longer if it weren't for the voices of pro-heroes beneath them.

With the villain unconscious, his quirk was inactivated and the insects all returned to their normal states. The couple returned to the streets, the villain hoisted over Bakugou's shoulder. The blond was pulled and surrounded by heroes and reporters alike, the reporters itching for an interview and the heroes attempting to recruit him as a sidekick.

Ayano stayed behind, hidden among the crowd of intrigued civilians. Technically, she was still a civilian herself and not a hero. Getting involved would only get her lectured by the pro heroes for her 'recklessness' and garner her unnecessary attention.

Besides, she was perfectly content watching her boyfriend being praised for his acts of heroism. It gave her a surge of pride like no other.

Bakugou finally escaped from the heroes and reporters by threatening to leave him alone or risk getting blown up. Finding Ayano in the crowd, she smiled at him. "I believe now would be a good time for lunch." She proposed.

She threaded her fingers between his, squeezing his hand.

He squeezed back, leading her to a nearby café.


	56. Chapter 56

Bakugou and Ayano settled down into a booth, entirely relaxed and looking as if they hadn't just fought off a horde of mutated insects. Technically, it was the first time they had collaborated together out in the field but everything seemed so natural to them.

They each took a menu, slowly browsing through them. Bakugou peeked his head up from the menu, taking a glance at Ayano. She was looking intently through the menu. He could almost see the gears turning in her head. Even for some of the most simple and mundane things, she would calculate every step and weigh out all of her options.

He smiled, thinking that it was just like her. He admired her. Despite having just taken down a villain with him, she still looked absolutely flawless.

No…somehow, she looked even better than that to him.

Ayano eventually noticed his staring. Looking up from her own menu to give him all of her attention, she set it down on the table. She had wanted to say something, but felt as if she were paralyzed under his gaze.

The way that he was looking at her…

Just as they were about to lean into each other, their waitress returned with a tea set. "Here's your tea! Careful, it's hot! Are you both ready to order?"

Ayano quickly leaned back into cushioned booth. Bakugou glared at the young woman. "Learn to read the mood, will you?!" He shouted at her.

"Katsuki! Just let her do her job." Ayano admonished him. She turned her head up at their waitress, shooting her a slightly apologetic look. "I'll have lunch set A, please." She ordered.

Unfazed, the waitress jotted it down in her notepad. Turning to smile at Bakugou, she asked, "And for you, sir?" The boy just mumbled under his breath, deciding to just get the same thing. "Right away then! I'll be back soon with your food!" The waitress cheerfully promised before walking to another table.

Bakugou was beside himself with discontent, frustrated with yet another interruption. As the waitress walked away, Ayano gently set her hand down on Bakugou's. The boy sighed to relieve the tension in his shoulders. He smiled at her, returning to a calmer state of mind.

Their food soon arrived but just as they were about to dig in, they were interrupted by a few more screams. This time, it was from children.

Looking out the window, Ayano's eyes widened as she recognized a few children from the orphanage and one of the caretakers chasing after them. The children marched into the café, bawling their eyes out and screaming bloody murder. "BIG SIS AYA! WE DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE FOREVER!"

They tackled the young inventor before she could stand up from the booth. Her eyes traveled from the all the crying faces and then up to the older woman who was chasing them. Panting in between words, she tried explaining the situation to Ayano. "I-I'm so sorry, Aya-chan! I know you told them before that you wouldn't be able to see them for a while, but I was talking with the director a-and I was telling her how much we would be missing you and that I couldn't believe you would be gone for so long. One of the children heard me and told the others. Now they think that you're leaving forever and won't be visiting them ever again."

The children started crying even harder. "WAS IT SOMETHING WE DID?! WE'RE SORRY!" They hugged her tightly, rubbing their faces against her as they cried.

Ayano hugged them back in an attempt to calm them down. When it was clear that they wouldn't be appeased so easily, she sent a slight pleading look at Bakugou.

The boy groaned, putting his face into his palm. Raising his other hand, he waved their waitress over. "We're taking this to go." He bemoaned, motioning for her to take their plates as he grumbled a few obscenities.

Ayano nodded to him in thanks, getting up with the children still attached to her. They went on their way to the orphanage once they got their untouched food packaged.

For the children's sake and for his own sanity, Bakugou travelled a bit further behind from the rest of them. He was fuming. One could almost physically see a fiery rage surrounding him as he gnashed his teeth together. First the movie, then the villain, and now this?! He could not believe their rotten luck.

As they got close enough to see the orphanage, the rest of the children ran out to meet them. "Big Sis Aya! Please don't leave us!" They called out.

She hugged each and every one of them. "Now, now. There is no need for tears. Let's all go back inside." The children listened and walked back inside, but they didn't take their eyes off of her for even a second. They stared at her with teary eyes as they walked, as if she would disappear the second they looked away.

All of them sat down in the playroom with Ayano in the center. "A-Are you really leaving, Big Sis Aya? I-Is it because we were bad?" One brave child asked, voice staggering from trying to hold back tears.

"I am leaving, but it isn't because you were bad. I have to leave because I'm going to help people." She started off. "You are?" Another child asked.

The young inventor nodded. "Yes, just like how I helped all of you." This prompted the kids to look at their prosthetics, remembering Ayano's first ever visit.

"I'm going somewhere far away so that I can help as many people as possible. I promise I will return. Can all of you be good boys and girls while you wait for me to come back?" She asked. The children nodded their heads eagerly. "Good. I will be sure to bring back gifts for all of you when I return." The children yelled for joy at her promise.

"I can play with you all one more time today. If I do, you have to make sure you don't cry, alright?" She looked around at them expectantly with her eyebrows raised. The children shook their heads up and down fervently, as if they were bobble heads. They quickly stood up, tugging on her arms to force her to follow them.

Bakugou had been watching silently on the sidelines with a slight scowl. He was upset that their date kept getting interrupted, but of course he couldn't be too angry at the kids. After all, on some level, he was feeling the same way that they were about Ayano leaving. He could let this one time slide.

"Big Bro Bakugou! Teach us how to fight villains!" A couple of the little boys requested, completely oblivious to his temper. The blond saw Ayano in the corner of his eye as she smiled at him, calming him down. He looked down at the boys, flashing a devilish smirk. "Fine, but you better not cry because I ain't going easy on you brats!"

The children promptly screamed in a mixture of fear and excitement as Bakugou wasted no time to start chasing them. "Big Sis Aya! Stop staring at your prince and come play house with us!" The young inventor chuckled, giving in to the demanding little ones.

After a couple of hours of Ayano playing with the children and Bakugou chasing them around, the kids finally tired themselves out. Ayano and the other caretakers tucked them in for a well needed nap.

Ayano and Bakugou flopped into a pair of chairs, letting out a sigh of relief and exhaustion. Playing together with children was no easy task. Bakugou had already had the displeasure of doing so for his remedial training course, and he didn't like it any more this time than the last.

They blinked in surprise when plates of food were set down before them. It was the food they ordered back at the café but were unable to touch before the meal was interrupted by the kids. The director of the orphanage gently smiled at them as she placed the food on the table. "We took the liberty of heating up your food. It's the least we could do for interrupting your date." She explained.

The young couple blushed in unison at hearing another person calling it a 'date' so casually. Ayano awkwardly coughed into her hand as she picked up a glass of water, and Bakugou simply started chomping at his food. Several of the caretakers giggled at their antics, causing the couple to immerse themselves into the meal further.

"We really are going to miss you, Aya-chan. Not just the children, us caretakers too!" One of them exclaimed, the others nodding in agreement. "I know they promised not to cry when you leave, but that doesn't mean they aren't going to be a handful for the next year…" Another mentioned in dismay. The others deflated at that comment, dreading what was to come.

"I could visit the brats every once in a while." They all turned to the unexpected voice, the surprise evident on everyone's face. Bakugou blinked at them, his mouth full. "…What…?"

"…Katsuki, you don't have to do that because you think I want you to." Ayano cautiously explained.

"What? You think I can't do it!?" He asked, clearly offended. Ayano simply shook her head. "I never said that. This is just rather uncharacteristic of you. Most people would not consider you willing to be a babysitter." She explained.

"I'm not saying I'd come every day. Maybe just once a week or something. Those brats are gonna miss you, so I could just tell them some stories about you or whatever." He grew softer towards the end, getting a little embarrassed. He didn't want to seem soft for a bunch of stupid kids!

Ayano smiled at him. "I'd like that. I appreciate it. Thank you, Katsuki." The boy just chomped on another large portion of his food, as if to distract the others and himself from his embarrassment. His endeavor was unsuccessful, as he heard some of the caretakers giggling again.

After receiving the director's contact information and a bit more teasing, the couple left the orphanage hand in hand. They had been playing with the children and talking with the caretakers longer than they thought. Night had fallen with the moon illuminated brightly in the starless sky.

The couple walked in a comfortable silence as they usually did. There wasn't even a comment from Ayano about Bakugou's sweaty hands. When they were only a couple streets away from returning to U.A., Ayano broke the silence. "Thank you for today, Katsuki. I really enjoyed it."

The ash blond scoffed. "It was crappy at best. When you come back, I'll be sure to take you out on a _real_ date." Clearly, he was still upset about the various interruptions and failed plans.

Ayano stopped walking to face him, holding both of his hands. "No, it was perfect. I could not have asked for a better date." The boy raised an eyebrow at her insistence. Of course, regardless of all the interruptions, he was still happy to just be with her one last before she left but there seemed to be something more to her statements.

"I have seen you in action before, but those times were all part of training or some other event. Today was the first time I truly saw you out in the field. I have been making you support items for as long as we can both remember, but seeing you out there…working together with you...it was… _exhilarating_." Her smile grew more and more as she explained.

"It happened just this morning and yet, just thinking about it makes me shake with excitement. I thought, 'Is this what it will be like for us in the future?' Then, I thought, 'He's going to be the _most amazing hero_.' The thought almost made me cry. Seeing you like this…I was so, _so_ proud. You really have changed so much, and you also haven't." Her eyes began to gloss over, becoming slightly teary.

With her cheeks slightly pink, Ayano gave him the most heartfelt and beautiful smile. "I thought, 'He's going to be the most amazing hero…and I want to support him, be with him for _every_ step of the way.' Seeing you today, I was reminded of the reasons why I fell in love with you. That's why today was _perfect_."

Without another word and without any hesitation, Bakugou pulled her in for a deep kiss. His arms moved to wrap around her waist, and hers moved to wrap around his neck. The both of them pulling their bodies closer, wishing to savor each other's warmth. As they pulled away from the passionate kiss, their foreheads touched and their breath mingled together.

"…You really do know how to say some embarrassing things…" Bakugou repeated the same comment from earlier, although he wasn't exactly complaining about it.

Ayano chuckled. "Like I said, I only speak the truth."


	57. Chapter 57

The young couple stayed close together for a moment in that warm embrace with Ayano's hands wrapped around Bakugou's neck and his hands wrapped around her waist.

Ayano was the first to pull away. Truthfully, she wanted to stay like that for as long as time would allow, but they had to return to the dorms sooner or later.

On Bakugou's end, he would have much rather pulled her back in for another kiss, but he knew that she would disapprove of it. Even though it was nighttime, they were still out in public. He couldn't care less if people saw them, but she would admonish him for disregarding modesty.

As he was debating on whether or not to pull her back to him, she interrupted his thoughts. "Oh…I suppose I should tell you now." She hummed in thought, bringing his complete attention to her. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Our classmates, particularly Hagakure-san and Ashido-san, insisted that I give you a parting gift, as this is our last date as well as my last night with you before I depart for I-Island." She began explaining. Bakugou rolled his eyes in response, hearing very familiar words. The guys had also nagged him about the same thing. People really needed to learn how to mind their own damn business!

"I believe we both know that I am not particularly one for material objects…" She continued. It was true. The only thing that Ayano had ever taken great interest in were support items. Well…and Bakugou.

"Of course, I could always give you a hand-made gift. Another support item perhaps, but I feel that it would hold little meaning. I have already made you many support items, and I will most certainly make you more in the future. That is why I have chosen to gift you with something more symbolic." Her hand raised to grasp at a few strands of her hair, her fingers fiddling with the freshly cut ends.

"Until I return to you, I will not cut my hair."

"…"

Unlike the comfortable silences that they usually had, this one was abrupt and almost uneasy. Ayano, with her normally impassive expression, stared back at Bakugou's shocked face. She said what she wanted to, and she was simply waiting for his response.

"…Do you even know what you just said?" Bakugou finally asked. "Of course, I do. I'm the one who said it." Was Ayano's straight-laced response.

To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. They had met when they were little kids, before Bakugou's quirk had even manifested. For as long as he had known her, Bakugou had never seen her with long hair. The furthest it ever grew was to just below her chin. She always found long hair to be a nuisance, often getting in the way of her work.

Even if she kept longer hair, he was sure that it would be burned or cut off in some way due to her experimentation. That's why her hair was always so uneven and why she never bothered to accessorize it. He couldn't even imagine her with long hair!

If she wanted to gift him something more symbolic, then this was the way to do it. It was the ultimate show of devotion.

"Are you sure about that…?" The ash blond asked almost hesitantly.

Ayano raised an eyebrow. "What, are you saying I can't handle it?" She asked in challenge, playfully throwing his words right back at him.

The boy smirked. "Never said that." He took her hand, beginning to walk towards the school again.

The young inventor squeezed his hand back. "Who knows? Perhaps you will come to prefer me with longer hair." She suggested.

"I just prefer you." The explosive boy scoffed, no sign of a teasing tone in his voice. He was completely serious and meant every bit of it.

When he didn't hear a response, Bakugou turned to look at Ayano. His eyes widened to see her sheepish face, cheeks a slight pink. "…And you say _I'm_ the one that knows how to say embarrassing things with a straight face…" She mumbled with a slight pout.

Bakugou couldn't help himself, bending down to steal her lips in another kiss. She was just too cute. To hell with modesty! People could look at them all they wanted!

Once again, Ayano was the first to pull back, albeit reluctantly. "We should get back. It's already this late. They might start to worr—" She was interrupted by another rough kiss.

"Let them worry." Bakugou breathed out quickly before diving in to seal her lips again before she could respond. Despite her original protests, Ayano could do little to resist him. After all, he wasn't the only one who wanted this.

After quite some time, Ayano was finally able to push him back, much to both of their dismay. "Come on, let's go." She promptly tugged at his hand, nearly dragging him with her.

* * *

"Congratulations, Aya-chan!" Everyone shouted as the couple entered the dorms, confetti flying from their party poppers. The room was decorated with a banner, streamers, balloons, and the works. Even Ayano's classmates from 1-H were here.

The girl bowed her head in appreciation. "Thank you, everyone. You really didn't have to go this far though." She had repeatedly told them that such celebrations were unnecessary, as Ayano wasn't exactly the type to care much for grandiose farewells. Her classmates, however, took it upon themselves to throw the best party. In a sense, it was like the party was more for their fun than for hers.

"Nonsense! We won't be able to see you for a whole year!" Hagakure exclaimed.

"Not to mention getting into I-Island is a huge accomplishment!" Midoriya added.

"Yeah! Of course, we'd throw you a party!" Mina concluded. "So, let's get this party started!" At that, the rest of her classmates shouted in agreement.

"Hey, Sasaki!" Ayano turned to the voice to see Fujiyoshi Yuudai. "If you hadn't come in with that brute of a boyfriend of yours, I almost wouldn't have recognized you." The boy quipped, causing one Bakugou to become very agitated. The ash blond was about to attack when he was held back by Ayano and given an admonishing stare.

"Wow, you've even got him well trained too!" Fujiyoshi continued to joke, making another vein pop up on Bakugou's forehead.

"You can stop antagonizing now, Fujiyoshi-kun. I thought we were done working for villains." Ayano somewhat joked back.

"I know, I know. It's just so fun to get a rise out of this guy. It's no wonder you do it all the time!" The boy laughed while Bakugou glared at him. "Anyways, I came here to congratulate you. Also, to warn you that once you come back, I'll be in a completely different league so you better watch out!"

Ayano smirked. "I'll be sure to take you up on that. It would be a shame if you fell too far behind me." She challenged back.

"Just you wait!" Fujiyoshi declared as he walked away.

"Sasaki!" Ayano turned to the new voice. "Mei! I'm surprised you were able to tear yourself away from the Development Studio." She remarked.

"Well, this is the last time I'll be able to show you my excellent babies for a while! And the last time I'll be able to see your babies!" The pink-haired girl's eyes sparkled in excitement. "This is my 239th baby!" She whipped out one of her inventions, wasting no time to discuss with Ayano.

Bakugou saw the light in Ayano's eyes as she spoke with Hatsume. He smiled, choosing to leave them to their own devices for a while. "Leaving your girlfriend, the guest of honor, already?" Kaminari questioned him as we went to the refreshments table.

"I don't need to be with her every second of the day, dunce face." Bakugou scoffed. As much as he wanted to actually do just that, he would never openly admit that to everyone.

"Oh, come on, man! You can be honest just this once you know? You're not gonna see her for a whole year!" Kirishima reminded him, his words accompanied with a jab of pain to Bakugou. Although, once again, he didn't show it.

The ash blond directed a longing gaze at Ayano, watching her enthusiastically talk about support items with Hatsume. He smirked, going back to his original task of bringing her a drink and a plate of food. "Who cares? It's not like one year is gonna kill us. You guys should mind your own business."

Kaminari and the other guys just shrugged their shoulders, leaving the matter alone. Kirishima, on the other hand, could have sworn that he saw a shred of sadness in Bakugou's eyes, but the boy returned to Ayano before the redhead could confirm what he saw.

* * *

After curfew was called, everyone returned to their respective dorms, tuckered out from all of the partying.

The couple had arrived at Ayano's door, but neither of them made a move to open it. They both knew that once they did, the night would come that much closer to ending.

"…Would you like to come inside?" Ayano tentatively asked as her hand paused on the doorknob.

Bakugou nodded as she opened the door. The two walked inside, still hand-in-hand. They sat next to each other on her bed. With their fingers interlocked, Ayano squeezed his hand. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"…I was hoping this day would feel so much longer…" She said softly. Bakugou tightly squeezed her hand back, indicating that he felt the same way. He pulled on her arm as he leaned back to lay on the bed.

She fell with him without any resistance, her head laying in the crook of his neck with her hair brushing against his cheek and chin. Bakugou wrapped an arm around her waist, his other one stroking through her hair.

He thought about her promise earlier. He once again tried imagining Ayano with long hair, but to no avail. It just didn't look right. Not that he thought long hair wouldn't suit her, just that it was so unthinkable and unexpected that nothing he imagined seemed like it would be the actual outcome.

Amidst his thoughts, Bakugou realized that Ayano's breathing had slowed and evened out. It wasn't surprising that she fell asleep so quickly after such a long day. After all, they had to deal with a horde of giant insects, a villain, crying children, and their very nosy classmates.

The boy gazed at her sleeping face, taking it all in before he lost the chance. He sighed, closing his eyes and gently pulling her closer.

* * *

The first thing Ayano realized when she awoke was that Bakugou was no longer on the bed with her.

She felt the sheets around her. They were cold, which meant that he left quite a while ago if not soon after she fell asleep. Ayano picked up her phone to check the time.

5:17 AM

The girl rubbed at her eyes as she set her phone back down. She realized that she was still wearing the same outfit from yesterday's date. Thankfully, she had lots of time to wash the clothes and give them back to their rightful owners.

She looked around her room, noticing how vacant it seemed. Since she would be leaving to study abroad for a whole year, they had requested she pack all of her things so that the room would be empty for the new coming first-years.

Aside from the furniture, which would be taken care of by the school, everything else of substantial size was gone. She had shipped all of her bulkier inventions back to her house, only keeping a few smaller ones on her person. Other than that, all of her belongings would be able to fit into a moderately sized duffel bag.

Ayano had held off on packing the things she would take to I-Island with her. It wasn't like she had much to begin with. Most of her belongings consisted of her tools and inventions which she had already shipped back home. It wouldn't take her more than a few minutes to pack.

She had just put it off for so long because packing would mean that she was really leaving. Knowing that she was going to leave had a completely different feeling from actually _preparing_ to leave.

It proved to be harder for Ayano than she had initially thought.

The young inventor glanced at the corner of her room where the empty duffel bag was.

She sighed, getting to work.

* * *

After washing the borrowed clothes, Ayano neatly folded them and placed them into small bags. She hung the bags on Mina's, Uraraka's, and Jiro's doorknobs along with a thank you note.

She returned to her own room which was now even more empty. Her belongings were packed into her duffel bag and school bag. The furniture cleaned and the bed stripped of its sheets. She checked the time, seeing that it was now close to 7:00 AM.

She sighed once more, strapping on her school bag and picking up the duffel bag. Leaving her room, she headed to the boys' side of the floor towards Bakugou's room.

Her knuckles tapped lightly on his door. When she received no answer, she knocked again with slightly more force. When she was once again met with silence, her brows furrowed.

She would have knocked even louder, but she didn't want to wake him or Kirishima who was just next door. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out an earpiece. Placing it in her ear and tapping on it once, a holographic eye visor appeared over her face.

Her brows furrowed even further, when she switched the vision settings to Heat Mode. She didn't detect any heat signatures from Bakugou's room, indicating that he wasn't there.

Tapping the earpiece again to retract the eye visor, Ayano hummed in thought. It was possible that he was already awake and was just downstairs. With that thought in mind, the girl took the elevators down to the first floor.

"Aya-chan!" Midoriya got up and greeted her as he heard the elevator doors opening. Ayano smiled at him as she stepped out. She looked around, noticing that several of their other classmates were also in the lobby, many of them still in their pajamas and sleepy-eyed.

There was still no Bakugou though.

"Have you seen Katsuki?" Ayano asked her childhood friend.

Midoriya's eyebrows shot up. "Eh? Kacchan? You mean he wasn't with you? Is he not in his room?" The boy asked. At the shake of her head, Midoriya gave a small frown. "Sorry, Aya-chan. I haven't seen him today yet."

The girl thanked him, moving to the kitchen to make breakfast. By the time she was finished eating and cleaning up after herself, it was already close to 8:00 AM, her departure time. There was still no sign of Bakugou, which was beginning to worry her.

Of course, she would have liked to see him before she left but it wouldn't be the end of the world if she didn't.

Even though she rationalized that in her head, it didn't make her any less sad at the possibility.

* * *

The car sent by I-Island officials reached the U.A dorm at 8:00 AM on the dot. Ayano placed her bags into the trunk of the car. Walking back towards her classmates who had gathered together outside, she bowed to them. "Thank you all for a memorable year. I hope to see you again as third-years."

Her short statements were met with many smiles and a few sniffles. "We'll miss you Aya-chan!" Many of them shouted. The girl smiled at them as she looked around once more. Bakugou was still missing from the crowd. Now that she was looking properly, it was odd that Fujiyoshi and Hatsume were also missing.

Before she could think more on it, the I-Island official's voice rang out. "Are you ready to depart, Sasaki-san?" He asked. She opened her mouth to respond when she heard three frantic pairs of footsteps.

Everyone turned to that direction, seeing Bakugou, Fujiyoshi, and Hatsume running towards them. Bakugou stopped just in front of Ayano, panting and tightly holding a long reddish-orange cloth. "Your gift…" He breathed out.

She gently took it from him, laying it out across both of her palms. It was soft like normal cloth, but it was oddly sturdy. Not exactly stiff, but it seemed tougher than an average cloth should be. Ayano looked back up as Bakugou began explaining.

"You can't really use it now since your hair isn't that long yet, but I figured if you were going to grow it out, then you'd need something to get your hair out of the way while you work." The ash blond said, looking away in embarrassment.

So that's where he was. He was up all night to make this gift. Of course, he couldn't have done it alone since this area wasn't exactly his expertise. So, Ayano turned to Fujiyoshi and Hatsume.

"It's made from a heat resistant and shock absorbent material. I can guarantee that no matter what you're working on, it won't break. We even had Mr. Explodo-King here use his explosions from one of your grenadier bracers." Fujiyoshi explained.

"It's also made from a shape-shifting alloy that can fit snugly around your hair! Not too tight or too loose! And when you're not using it, it'll shape perfectly to wrap around your wrist!" Hatsume continued excitedly.

Ayano wrapped the cloth loosely around her right wrist. True to Hatsume's word, Ayano felt it tighten to snugly fit itself around her wrist as if it were a roll of bandages.

"It's my 242nd baby! A baby I made with Bakugou and Fujiyoshi!" The pink-haired girl exclaimed, earning her a disgusted look from the other support student.

"Would you mind phrasing that a little differently, please?" Fujiyoshi asked. Hatsume only tilted her head in confusion, causing Fujiyoshi to shake his head in displeasure.

Ayano chuckled at their antics. Turning back to Bakugou, she gave him a bright smile. "Thank you, Katsuki. I love it." She gazed at it, fiddling with it on her wrist.

Bakugou promptly pulled her against him, swiftly cupping her cheek and kissing her deeply. There were a few cheers and wolf whistles behind them, not that they really heard it though.

As they pulled away from each other, Bakugou breathed out a sigh. "I love you."

Ayano's eyes widened and her jaw nearly dropped. It wasn't that she didn't believe him. She knew that he felt the same way about her that she felt about him. It's just that he never said it aloud like this. It never bothered her because she never needed him to confirm his feelings with words. He did so just fine with only his actions.

She knew he would say it eventually. She just didn't think it would impact her like this. Maybe it was because it would be the last thing she heard from him for a whole year. Or maybe it was because she longed to hear those words more than she originally thought.

The girl looked down, her fringe blocking Bakugou's sight of her eyes. "Ayano?" He asked with concern. "…fair…" He heard the last bit of what she mumbled out. "What?" He asked again.

"…It isn't fair…For you to say that to me now of all times…" Her voice was shaky. Bakugou bent down to see her face, his eyes widening at the sight.

"I was not supposed to cry today…and then you come and say such an embarrassing thing at the last moment…" She accused him with no real strength, her eyes glossy and tearing up slightly. Before her tears could fall, Ayano shut her eyes tightly. Opening them, she roughly pulled Bakugou in for another kiss. When she pulled away, Bakugou could still see the unshed tears in the corners of her eyes.

"We will be third-years when I return. When that happens, I better hear news of you becoming part of U.A's new Big Three." Ayano challenged him.

Bakugou smirked. "I was going to do that even without you telling me to. I'll be standing at the top, so you better be prepared to claw your way up to meet me there when you get back." Ayano smirked back at him, accepting his challenge.

The couple heard the I-Island official awkwardly cough behind them. "Excuse me, Sasaki-san, but if we delay departure any further, we will be behind schedule." Ayano gave him a nod of acknowledgement. She gave Bakugou one last kiss before heading into the backseat of the car.

She rolled down the window as Bakugou walked up to it. "Remember what I said about not giving those lame foreign boys the time of day." He warned her as the car started.

"I will, and you can remember what _I_ said about trusting that I will not look at any other man but you." Ayano replied as the car slowly accelerated.

Bakugou started walking alongside the car to keep up. As the car kept accelerating, he picked up the pace, going from a walk, to a jog, to a full-on sprint. Finally, he had to use his quirk, throwing his hands back and releasing explosions to propel himself forward.

Even with all of his training, however, his hands had to give out eventually. He was unable to follow the car any further, standing in place and staring after it.

He stood in the middle of the street for a while, longingly staring at the car as it and Ayano slowly disappeared from his sight, his arms shaking and throbbing from overuse of his quirk.


	58. Chapter 58

When Bakugou finally returned to the dorms, Kirishima was the first to greet him. "Bakugou! Are you alright, man?"

Aside from the lack of sleep causing the bags underneath his eyes, Bakugou had apparently been gone longer than he thought. His arms had already recovered from overusing his quirk on his walk back to the dorms, but he still looked worse for wear.

Other than Kirishima, his other classmates had looked on in concern. Even Deku was worried, causing Bakugou to push past all of them in frustration. "I'm fine…" He said, but his voice was anything but.

Kirishima tried reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder, but Bakugou quickly brushed him off without so much as a look in his direction. His classmates didn't follow him into the elevator as he aggressively pushed the button for the fourth floor.

Before walking to his room, he glanced over at the girls' side of the floor. Furrowing his brows and clicking his tongue, he trudged over to his own room. As he closed his room door, he stood there for a moment with his hand still on the doorknob. Bakugou closed his eyes, leaning forward. As the top of his head leant on the door, he gave a deep sigh.

After composing himself for a long while, he walked over to his bed. As he lay on it, the exhaustion finally kicked in and he went to sleep.

When he woke up, he checked his phone to see that a couple of hours had passed. Even so, he didn't feel refreshed at all.

Staring at his phone, he decided to do something he already knew wouldn't amount to anything. Dialing the number, he heard the repetitive tone before the typical error message set off.

 _The number you have reached is disconnected or temporarily disabled for various reasons and is unable to receive messages at this time._

Bakugou sighed, pulling his phone away from his ear as his other arm laid over his eyes. By now, she would already be on I-Island, and they had already come to terms with the fact that they wouldn't be able to have any form of communication for a year. As I-Island wasn't open to the public yet, and all information was government endorsed or confidential, it was too dangerous to have any outside contact.

He already knew this, but he couldn't help but try.

He didn't know why. There wasn't any logic behind it. He just did.

Dialing her number again and again, he received nothing but the same monotonous message. After the fifth dial, however, something unexpected happened.

His phone rang once with an unfamiliar sound, then stopped. Looking at the screen, Bakugou received a new message.

 _1 New Voicemail_

 _Would you like to listen?_

 _Yes No_

He stared at the screen for a bit before hesitantly pressing accept and putting his phone to his ear.

" _Hello, Katsuki…"_

The boy sat up instantly, his eyes wide open, no sign of his previous weariness. His heartbeat quickened, as did his breath. There was no mistaking it.

That was _**her**_ voice.

" _This is a pre-recorded message that I rigged your phone with. I apologize for deciding this on my own and potentially invading your privacy."_

Bakugou chuckled, partially because of how relieved he felt at hearing her voice and partially because of her words. Did her voice always sound this lovely?

" _If you are hearing this message, this means that you have tried to call me five times. Truthfully, I did not want to record this since I believed that you knew the calls would not go through. However, sometimes our emotions make us do illogical things. So, if you_ _ **are**_ _listening to this message, I hope it can give you some solace and relief. In that case, I am glad…but I am also saddened that you could be this distraught about my absence._

Bakugou frowned, sighing once more. He was getting upset with himself for having worried her so much that she made the choice to leave him this message.

" _Although, I suppose I am also happy about that. Of course, not that you are so distressed, but that you care about me so much that you have come to this point. Feelings and emotions are…complicated."_

She chuckled, like even she knew how ironic that sounded coming from her of all people.

" _Despite that, I know how I feel about you."_

" _ **I love you, Katsuki.**_ _"_

Bakugou's breath hitched.

" _I truly love you. Regardless of whether or not we have contact with each other for the next year, I will love you. If anything, I will only fall for you deeper. After all, they do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. If you love me too, then please do this one thing for me."_

" _ **Forget about me…**_ _"_

His heart dropped and his breath hitched once again, but this time it was out of fear.

" _Please forget about me. I do not mean to say that you can never think about me, but you have your provisional hero license now. You have far more important things to worry about than me not physically being there with you. You promised me that you would become the most amazing hero. That you would be_ _ **my**_ _hero."_

The boy could hear the strain slowly flowing into her voice as she continued, bringing a slight sting to his own eyes.

" _I look forward to that day, Katsuki. I believe in you more than anyone. So, in order for that promise to come true, I need you to focus. I also need to focus in order to catch up to you. Neither of us can afford to sit around on our asses and mope about being separated from each other."_

He chuckled, smirking at her words and challenge, but the sting in his eyes was still very much there.

" _So, please…forget about me for now. For both of our sakes. Of course, I will do the same, but that does not mean my feelings for you will go away. My feelings will never waver. I will be supporting you even if I cannot be with you right now."_

" _Do your best, Katsuki. I love you."_

As he heard a click, signaling the end of the message, the sting in his eyes grew nearly unbearable. He grit his teeth, his head falling into his hands as he leaned his elbows on his knees. He let out a shaky breath as he tightly gripped his phone, his knuckles turning a bright white. He shut his eyes as hard as he could, pressing his palms against them to do as much as possible to stop himself from letting the tears fall.

Unsteadily breathing in and out, he pressed some buttons on the phone screen and raised his phone to his ear.

" _Hello, Katsuki…"_

He listened to her message again.

He repeated it over and over, listening intently to her beautiful voice.

* * *

When he heard the ding of the elevators, Kirishima looked over to see Bakugou completely decked out in his hero costume. His main concern was that the blond's eyes seemed to be a bit pink which might have been the result of crying. "Bakugou! Where are you going?" The redhead asked worriedly.

"To train." The boy gruffly responded, walking past Kirishima without hesitation. His friend smiled, relieved that there wasn't a need to worry at all. The fire and determination in Bakugou's eyes was enough to assuage his fears. "Hey, wait up! Let me come with! I want to strengthen my quirk too!"

* * *

 _Three Months Later_

"Bakugou! Come look at this!" Kirishima shouted, waving him over. A group of his classmates were huddled around someone's phone. Several others had their phones out as well. Bakugou raised an eyebrow in question as he walked over.

Kaminari raised his phone with excitement in his eyes. "Look! It's Aya-chan!" The second her name left his lips, Bakugou swiped the phone from his hands.

 _U.A. Student, Sasaki Ayano, Given 'Young Rising Support Item Developer' Award!_

Bakugou read the headline, his eyes widening. Underneath it was a photo of Ayano holding the award plaque standing next to a tall man with black glasses, unruly honey brown hair, and a short goatee.

The man was smiling proudly next to her, but as always, Ayano held a straight face. Although, Bakugou could tell from one look at her eyes that she was thriving.

The thing that really caught his eye, however, was her hair that was now just barely brushing against her shoulders and the reddish-orange cloth wrapped around her wrist. She was keeping her promise and his gift.

"The man next to her is David Shield! They say he's the one that makes all of All Might's costumes, and Aya-chan is interning with him! Isn't that amazing?" Midoriya exclaimed, his extreme fanboy mode showing itself. As Bakugou read through the article, Midoriya's comments were confirmed.

"And take a look at this! There's a video of her presenting at the conference that won her the award!" Kirishima said, propping his phone onto the table to let everyone watch.

"Thank you for coming and taking time out of your busy schedules." Ayano started with a respectful bow.

"The support item I will be presenting is the Quirk Apprehension Machine. As its name suggests, it is a machine used to evaluate and understand a person's quirk. As we all know, children are diagnosed and registered into the Quirk Registry during elementary school. However, the Quirk Registry does in fact allow for two updates in which people can slightly modify their quirk registry form. For instance, someone who once believed that water shot out of their body now understands that the water actually comes from the moisture in the surrounding air."

"The question, now, is why is this? It is because people are constantly developing and enhancing their quirks. Children have infinite potential, and we as a society understand this. That is why we require them to undergo quirk counseling in elementary school. That is also where we, as a society, fail them."

Her last statement caused an uproar from everyone at the conference. Ayano patiently waited for them to calm down before continuing.

"Please do not misunderstand. I believe that quirk counseling is essential and that quirk counselors are doing fine, extraordinary jobs. I also believe that the quirk counseling programs are far from perfect, and I am a very big proponent of the concept that there is _always_ room for improvement."

Bakugou smirked, his eyes shining with pride. No matter where she was, she was always taking on the hardest challenges to push herself. Even if they were controversial, she chose the path that was right for her. She was a true inventor, one that wasn't constrained by only one way of thinking.

"The purpose of quirk counseling is to provide an outlet for children to discuss their quirks. Just as mental health counselors provide an outlet for people to vent their problems, quirk counseling works in the same way. It is there to ensure that children are able to better understand their quirks and to know how to use their quirks responsibly. This is where our problem lies."

"If a child has a particularly dangerous quirk, rather than teaching them how to use it responsibly, we tend to teach them how to suppress it. We teach them conformity. For their safety, as well as ours. Again, please do not misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing safety. It just should not be at the cost of a child's individuality. Just as I have said before, the purpose of quirk counseling is to provide an outlet for children, regardless of how dangerous their quirk is."

"If quirk counseling does not offer a child the proper outlet for their quirks, they _will_ find another way. They will discover their quirks themselves. They will develop them without supervision. We were all children once. We were curious about everything. When we were children, we believed we were invincible. With the addition of quirks, there is no telling what a child could do. That is when it becomes dangerous. In the end, it is not the quirk that makes a child dangerous. It is our lack of foresight."

"Take a very simple quirk, the ability to wield fire, for example. Fire, in its very nature, is destructive. We know that once a fire has spread, it will keep going until there is nothing left or until it is stopped. Though it may be dangerous, it also has many benefits. We use it to cook our food, heat our homes, and many other things. If a child has this quirk, we should be teaching them how to use it in ways that help people. We should not be stressing that it is dangerous and that the child should not be using it."

"If we do not let this child express themselves in quirk counseling, they will do it another way. This child will naturally be curious about their own quirk. They will start small, perhaps like lighting a leaf on fire. Then, they will want to test their limits. They will think bigger, and they will act on it because they were given no other option, nowhere else to vent. They might resort to making forest fires or arson. They might become a pyromaniac and the next thing you know, they have become criminals, villains even. All because we stressed conformity on them rather than letting them express themselves properly and in a healthy way."

Ayano paused to drink some water as well as to let everyone in the conference stew on her words. Many of the spectators had conflicted expressions. Although her words were controversial to many, they held much weight to them.

"Now, the question is why do we do this? Of course, we value safety but that is not why we do this. We do this because we simply do not understand, and it is often the case that the things we do not understand are the very things that we come to fear. And because we are fearful, we turn to suppression. As they say, 'Out of sight, out of mind.' I do not fault quirk counselors for doing this. It is not an easy occupation, and I applaud them for taking on this difficult task."

"Quirks are ever-evolving, and each new generation has a wider and stronger mixture of quirks than the generations prior. The only person who can fully understand your quirk and its limitations is you. The only person who can fully develop and improve their quirk is you. How can we expect someone else to understand our quirk and be able to counsel us then? The answer is simple: We can't. It is impossible unless you have a quirk to copy other quirks. I have met many people and researched many quirks. I only know of one person with this ability and even then, they are limited in what they can copy."

"The only thing we can do is try our best to understand and use this understanding to help in counseling. That is where my Quirk Apprehension Machine comes into play. This device will analyze the DNA of an individual to determine their quirk and the possible outcomes that would result out of training that quirk. It can produce possible variations of that quirk and even propose potential improvements. We can use this machine rather than having children and their parents, who may not have a complete understanding of their quirk yet, report to the Quirk Registry. There are many things about quirks that we do not understand, but my invention can help to eliminate that uncertainty."

"It would help to further improve the quirk counseling programs as well as provide us more safety. Some quirks, people are born with. Others can manifest anytime between birth and the age of four. Within this four-year time period, it is often the case that quirks manifest randomly with no indicators whatsoever. As such, there have been many injuries, casualties, and dangers in the manifestation of quirks. With further research, my machine could potentially predict a quirk in a child before it has even manifested. This way, families can prepare for the quirk and even protect the child from traumatizing events that would happen otherwise."

"In addition to that, this does have some involvement with fighting villains. The Quirk Registry allows for two updates, but they are not mandatory. These updates are entirely at the discretion of the quirk user. This can be very dangerous. For instance, a villain could choose to never update their quirk registry, thus giving them an advantage in combat. The element of surprise, so to speak. By using my Quirk Apprehension Machine, there is no surprise. Only transparency."

"Yet another advantage of my invention involves my internship with David Shield. Although I am unable to divulge any major findings, you all are aware that he is researching quirk enhancement. A topic that would benefit greatly with the use of this machine. However, as you also know, dealing with the genetics of quirks can be very expensive because of the mystery surrounding them. That is why I would like to request a research grant and a support item development grant."

"This is a subject that has fallen into the background because we have gotten too comfortable. We see villains, and we believe they have become villains because of individual differences. We believe it is the fault of the individual and not of our shortcomings as a society. With my presentation here today, I hope I have convinced you otherwise. Thank you."

The video ended with resounding applause and Ayano concluding with another respectful bow.

Everyone was silent for some time. Thought it was a difficult topic with many implications, Ayano handled it professionally and with complete grace. Many of them held faces of shocked amazement, just as those did in the audience.

Kirishima was the one to break the silence when he noticed that Bakugou made moves to leave the dorms. "Hey, Bakugou! Where are you going?"

"To train." Was his simple response, the determination in his voice evident. Seeing Ayano up on that stage, giving her all, was more than enough to inspire him. In only three months, she had already made so much progress. She was concerned about catching up to him!? Yeah, right. _He_ was the one that needed to catch up to her.

With that thought in mind, Bakugou walked off towards the training grounds.

* * *

After taking a shower, Bakugou flopped onto his bed. Instead of going straight to sleep, he pulled out his phone to search for the article about Ayano.

He read it over again, smiling to himself. He was truly proud of her for yet another achievement. Clicking on the photo in the article to enlarge it, he stared at her form.

So that's what she looked like with longer hair, huh?

It was very different from what he was used to, but it suited her nonetheless. She'd probably look fine with any style anyways.

His fingers pinched together and spread out on the screen, zooming into the photo. When only Ayano was in the frame, he took a screenshot. Going into his settings, he saved her photo as his background picture.

Staring at her photo, he gave a longing sigh.

Taking his headphones from his desk and plugging them in, he found the video of her presentation.

He put it on a loop, listening to it over and over until he fell asleep with it still in the background.


	59. Chapter 59

Ayano and Melissa Shield were coming back from one of the many training grounds. In Ayano's arms were the tattered remains of her most recent support item, leaving her with a very frustrated aura. Melissa walked by her side, giggling to herself at how Ayano only ever showed this much emotion usually when something went wrong with her inventions. "You know, the idea behind it was exceptional! It was pretty good until we got to stage four!" Melissa commented.

"Yes, but 'pretty good' is not good enough…" Ayano mumbled as she tinkered with the broken support item, not even looking up to see where she was walking. Melissa smiled at the girl, admiring her work ethic.

After Ayano had gotten an internship with Melissa's father, David Shield, the two had gotten to know each other quite well. Despite how different their personalities were, they were very similar. Both quirkless with the immense desire to still be heroes in their own right through the creation of support items, and even having the same roots: their admiration of All Might. They had developed a friendly rivalry with each other, much like the one Ayano had with Hatsume Mei. Although, perhaps not quite as eccentric.

Currently, the two were on their way to Ayano's personal laboratory. Normally, only third-year students at I-Island Academy were permitted the use of a personal laboratory, but Ayano was made the exception because she was only a student studying abroad for one year. As they reached the hallway where her lab was located, they saw a lively girl and a lanky boy already standing in front of the door.

Ayano had been paired with two of her classmates for a group project. Instead of the communal laboratory, they had agreed to meet up at Ayano's personal one instead because she was the only one of the second-years to have one due to her circumstances.

When her classmates had noticed Ayano and Melissa, the girl immediately dashed towards them with open arms. "A-YA-NOOOO!" She shouted as she swung her arms together to encase Ayano in them. Except, the girl had simply stepped to the side and around her to continue towards her lab.

"Oh, come on! It wouldn't kill you to let me hug you, would it?!" The girl grumbled. Ayano continued to the door, giving a nod of acknowledgement to the boy who remained there. "No, Sophia, but I would much rather get started on the project." The brown-haired girl stated as she turned the key to unlock the door.

"Jeez, you and Raymond are such sticks in the mud!" The red-head complained. "How did I get roped into this? I didn't even do anything." Raymond finally spoke, raising an eyebrow in annoyance at the slight insult. The girl just pushed past him, walking into Ayano's lab first. He just shook his head, following after her.

As they looked around, seeing Ayano's laboratory for the first time, their eyes widened. Melissa chuckled at their reactions, having already been here multiple times before. Although the place was relatively clean, there were piles and piles of inventions scattered around the room. There was just enough space on the floor to have a narrow pathway for access to the desks and shelfs.

"Christ! This looks like some kind of warzone! You've been here, what, a month now? How do you have time for all this between school and your internship with Mr. Shield!? You'd have to live in this lab!" Sophia exclaimed as Ayano went to work, clearing the desks so that they would have room to work.

Melissa hummed in thought, her finger coming to her chin. "Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever seen Ayano's dorm. I've only ever seen her here or at Papa's lab, and I see her quite a lot…"

Raymond turned to the aforementioned girl. "You don't sleep here, _do you_?" He asked, his voice full of worry laced with a bit of disgust.

"Bold of you to assume that I sleep." Ayano joked, although her face and voice maintained their normal impassiveness.

"…" The three guests all had large sweat drops forming on their temples. "She's joking…That's a joke, right? You're joking with us. I mean, I say all the time that I don't sleep, but that's a complete joke. I love sleep! But when you joke about it, it's like a whole different meaning! Please tell me you're not serious." Sophia spoke quickly, showing concern for her friend.

Ayano smirked at them, finished clearing the tables. "I would like to start working on the project now." "You didn't answer me!"

Melissa laughed, patting the redhead's back. "Well, I'll leave you three to work then! Ayano, you're coming to Papa's lab tomorrow morning, right?" When the girl nodded in affirmation, Melissa went on her way.

The three of them sat down, each creating their own little makeshift station in the lab after divvying up the work. Raymond and Ayano worked mostly in silence, only the sounds of their tools filling the air. On the other hand, Sophia served as a stark contrast. Even with headphones, the two other students could hear the blaring music. The redhead sung along occasionally, performing a few dance moves here and there as she worked on the project.

After an hour or so, Sophia sighed in frustration. "Ugh! I need a break!" She shouted as she slumped in her seat, clicking through social media on her laptop, hoping to find a juicy story. Raymond shook his head at her as he returned to diligently working, and Ayano had paid her no mind in the first place.

Sophia suddenly released a large gasp, her eyes and mouth opening wider than when she first saw Ayano's lab. Raymond rolled his eyes as he spoke. "If it's another article about how redheads don't look good in pastel, I don't want to hear it."

The girl glared at him, raising a finger. "First of all, redheads can look good in _anything_ , and don't you forget it!" She raised a second finger. "Second of all, that wasn't what I was looking at. I was looking at _this_!" She flipped her laptop around, unplugging her headphones.

On the screen was a video of Bakugou Katsuki in action. He appeared to be working under Endeavor along with Todoroki Shouto and Midoriya Izuku. At hearing his familiar shouts, Ayano's head finally looked up, her hands pausing.

Sophia shrieked in excitement, reminding Ayano of Mina and Hagakure. "Oh my god! So those rumors about you having a boyfriend back at U.A. High School are true!"

Raymond glanced at the screen. "Huh. Yeah, I can see it. His costume definitely has your flare to it." He remarked, earning an incredulous look from Sophia. "Are you serious right now? How can you talk about his _costume_ when you're looking at an absolute masterpiece of a man!?"

The boy scoffed. "Yeah, well I'm in to women, so no thanks."

Sophia looked away. "Could've fooled me…" She muttered, earning her a glare from the boy as Ayano silently returned to working. "Anyways! What a hunk! And would you take a look at those biceps?! MMM!"

"Sophia. Please…" Raymond pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to concentrate.

"What!? Can you blame me? I've never thought about dating a Japanese boy, but I'm seriously starting to consider it if they all look like this!" The redhead exclaimed as she stared at the screen, star-struck.

"Wow, Sophia. That's awfully shallow, even for you." Raymond commented. Sophia smirked at him. "Don't be jealous of Ayano's boyfriend and his beautiful biceps just because you have flimsy arms." He glared at her once more, but ultimately decided to continue working instead of humoring her.

Sophia snickered, feeling triumphant from having the last laugh. She turned her attention to Ayano who strangely had no part of this conversation yet. "Enough about me though! I want to hear about you two!" She promptly grabbed Ayano's tools, throwing them over her shoulder so that the girl could no longer work. "I haven't heard you talk about guys even once! Spill!"

The brown-haired girl blinked, her hands still in the air from her previous motions. Slowly setting them down, she finally looked up at Sophia with a blank face. "There is not much to say. You already know that his name is Bakugou Katsuki and that he also goes to U.A. High School."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Not that, dummy! I want the _juicy_ details! Like how you guys met, how long you've been dating, all that stuff!"

"We met when we were children since we live in the same neighborhood. We started dating a few months before I came here." Ayano methodically answered as she got up to retrieve her thrown tools. Raymond looked up at her with furrowed brows, feeling something a bit off.

"You guys are childhood sweethearts!? No way! That's so cute!" Sophia gasped again. "Wait, you only just started dating and you guys are doing long distance? That must be tough! I'm surprised that works for people our age! Well, I guess it makes sense since you guys are childhood friends after all! But that's still got to suck, right!? The security here is so tight, you probably can't have any communication at all! What's he like? With looks like that, he's got to have girls all over him! You think h—"

"Sophia!" Raymond interrupted her chattering. She looked at him in confusion. His eyes darted towards Ayano and then back to the redhead, gently shaking his head at her. Sophia quickly looked at the other girl returning to her work. She still had her normally impassive expression, but her eyes didn't seem as bright. They didn't get that excited sheen on them like they usually would when she was working on an invention.

The redhead bit the inside of her cheek, mentally admonishing herself for being so inconsiderate. It was easy to forget, considering how Ayano acted, but she was a little less robotic and a bit more human than she led people to believe.

"A-Ah! But I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about! You're a great catch! Ahaha…ha…" Sophia laughed awkwardly, trailing off. Ayano gave no response, only continuing with her previous ministrations. The redhead quickly retreated back to her seat, almost as if she were shrinking in it.

Contrary to Sophia's beliefs, Ayano wasn't concerned about other girls looking at Bakugou. Far from it. There were actually two reasons for the massive amount of inventions piling in her laboratory. The first being her incredible work ethic. The second being her strong desire to push thoughts of Bakugou to the deep recesses of her mind. If she stopped working, even for a little bit, she knew that she would break and thoughts of him would flood her head. She needed to keep herself busy at all times.

Too bad all that effort in distracting herself went completely to waste as soon as she heard his voice from that video.

Although it looked like she had gone back to working, her heart just wasn't in it anymore. Her hands paused again, her eyes moving to her right wrist. The one wrapped with the reddish-orange cloth. The gift he gave her just before she left.

She raised her right hand, her fingers fiddling with the ends of her hair. Having only been a month, her hair hadn't quite gotten long enough for the need to tie it up. Even so, she kept the headband on her wrist at all times.

Ayano lowered her hand, her left hand now playing with the ends of the reddish-orange cloth on her wrist. "Katsuki is…" She started slowly. Sophia's head perked up instantly, happy that her friend wasn't mad and also that she was even willingly talking about her boyfriend! The redhead leaned in, eagerly waiting for Ayano to continue.

"Katsuki is an idiot."

Sophia nearly fell out of her seat. Obviously, that wasn't what she was expecting, but she probably shouldn't have been too surprised. This was Ayano, after all.

"He's an idiot. Loud. Gets angry easily. Often irrational…but…" Ayano smiled to herself, as if she were reminiscing about something. "He's my hero."

Sophia's and Raymond's eyes widened, never having seen Ayano so openly radiant before. They looked at each and smiled, feeling a bit privileged at being able to see her like this. Sophia laughed and joked, "Oh, I see! One of those 'He's an idiot, but he's _my_ idiot' types. I dig it!"

After that, the three of them went back to working, fully content.

* * *

Ayano returned to her room after they stopped working on the project. Truthfully, she was going to stay in her lab even after they left, but Sophia insisted that she went back to her dorm. Even going so far as to steal the key to her laboratory so that she couldn't return until tomorrow.

She placed her bag on the desk, pulling out her laptop. Booting it up, she searched up that video Sophia found earlier. She sighed to herself, disappointed that she broke her code, but she couldn't help it after seeing and hearing him after all this time.

When she left that message for him, asking him to forget about her and that she would do the same about him, she was fully intent on keeping her word. She had been doing such a good job, too.

She avoided all news outlets covering U.A High School. If she so much as heard anyone talking about some new developments from there, she would immediately put in earplugs or headphones. She drowned herself in work so that she wouldn't even have the time to think about him. It was working, considering she had landed an internship so soon with the very man who created All Might's costumes.

To others, it may have been extreme. To Ayano, however, it was the only way she could cope. There was no last note, no secret final message. Not ones like she left for Bakugou. She didn't have those luxuries if she ever fell into a hole. So, this is what she had to do.

Everything proved to be futile though, once she heard his voice.

It took everything she had to not falter in front of her two classmates.

She clicked play on the video, waiting for it to load with bated breath. When Sophia had put it on, Ayano only allowed herself to look at it briefly before she forced herself to go back to work. Now, she was giving it her full attention.

She watched the video in its entirety, a montage of events in which Endeavor and his sidekicks were dealing with villains. Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugou seemed to be working under him, perhaps part of a work-study program at U.A.

Ayano was slightly disappointed, as much of the video was showcasing Endeavor's talent at disposing of villains quickly with the three U.A. students merely trying to keep up with him. Although, there were a few bits here and there where Bakugou was the star.

He still had a long way to go, but he really is amazing.

As the video ended, fading into a black screen, Ayano sighed in longing as she saw her reflection. Once again, she was reminded that she also had a long way to go before she caught up to him.

With that thought in mind, she clicked the replay button as well as a few other options. Several other holographic screens projected from her laptop. She tapped away on those with her left hand as her right hand prepared to take hand written notes.

She watched the video again, slowing it down, going frame by frame, pausing and taking screenshots as her hands diligently took notes of new ideas and improvements she had for Bakugou's costume. Her hands worked furiously, her eyes scanning everything.

When she finally ran out of ideas after watching the video numerous times, she set down her pen and returned to the original settings on her computer. She leaned back, pressing the replay button once more.

Without any notes or any other distractions, she watched the video over and over again, her smile growing bigger with each view as her fingers played with the cloth on her wrist.


	60. Chapter 60

_Eight Months After Ayano Left_

Bakugou was doing some small workouts in his room when he heard a knock on his door. Kirishima poked his head in, a large grin on his face. "Bakugou! Your parents came here to see you!" Bakugou almost clicked his tongue in annoyance before Kirishima continued. "Ayano's parents are here too!"

The ash blond blanched at that. Ayano's parents? Why would they be here? Had something happened to her?! Kirishima didn't make it sound urgent, so it shouldn't have been anything serious, right? But what if it was? Her father was also the stoic type, so maybe they just hadn't let on that something was wrong. But if something was, surely her mother wouldn't be able to keep her emotions in check, right?

Quickly coming back to his senses and using a towel to wipe off his sweat, Bakugou walked out with Kirishima, albeit a little rigidly. Reaching the lounge, he saw his parents conversing with Ayano's and some of his classmates were even joining in. He almost sighed in relief, seeing that the air was jovial and this was simply just a visit. Nothing more.

"What the hell are you doing here, you old hag?" Now that he was sure nothing happened to Ayano, he returned to his usual disagreeable self.

When she heard her son's disrespectful question, a couple of veins appeared on Mitsuki's head. She instantly got up from her seat to smack him upside the head. "Don't call me an old hag! Learn to treat your mother with more respect, you little brat!"

"I call it like I see it, you cow!" His remark earned him another smack. His classmates laughed sheepishly, definitely seeing the resemblance in the family.

Ayano's mother, Sasaki Asuka, giggled into her hand. "I'm glad to see that Little Katsuki is still the same after all this time!" Bakugou clicked his tongue at the nickname, always having disliked it. He turned to glare behind him, hearing a couple of chortles.

"Pfft! Haha, she called you 'Little Katsuki!' Seriously!?" Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero were trying their hardest not to burst out laughing but to no avail. It was just like that time when Bakugou came back with that ridiculous hairstyle from Best Jeanist. He lunged at the trio, hoping to shut them up by force. Asuka giggled once more, glad to see that the boy had made some wonderful friends.

Midoriya walked up to the pair of parents with slight concern on his face. "It's so good to see you again Asuka-san, but what's the reason for your visit? Nothing happened to Aya-chan, right?" He grimaced, remembering the last time Ayano's parents visited right after the villain attack on the Summer training camp.

Bakugou paused in beating up Kaminari, the boy dangling from his collar which was in the other blond's firm grip. He turned to glare at Midoriya. That should've been his line!

Asuka quickly shook her head and hands. "No, no! Nothing happened to Ayano, thankfully! Kaito and I were finally given permission to go visit her, and we thought you all might like to hear some updates about her." She gently smiled, assuaging both Midoriya's and Bakugou's fears.

"…Is she…How is…Does she…" Bakugou fumbled. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but didn't know where to start. Eight months and he was already a mess when it came to Ayano.

Mitsuki raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Since when did you become such a wimp, huh?" "SHUT UP!"

Asuka giggled again, turning to her husband. "My, my! Our little girl certainly has him wrapped around her finger, doesn't she Kaito?" The stoic man nodded almost unnoticeably, silently sipping his tea.

Bakugou flinched, looking away with a scowl in embarrassment. "Forget it! I'm going back to my room!" He turned away, giving them full view of his red ears.

"Oh? But don't you want to know what Ayano entrusted us to give to you?" Asuka not-so-innocently asked, causing the boy to stop in his tracks, his ears perking up. He slowly turned his head to look at them over his shoulder. "She…She left something for me?" He tentatively asked.

The woman lifted up a package, showcasing it to him. "You wouldn't believe how much trouble she had to go through just to let us take it back to Japan! The security over there really is no joke. I think she had to sit through a conference for hours, explaining what was in here, and then had to undergo a bunch of testing. It's a good thing she has such a good track record. Otherwise, it might have taken even longer or maybe it wouldn't even have happened at all! So, be sure to look through it carefully, okay?" She gently smiled at the boy, delicately handing the package to him.

He took it, his hands almost shaking. His eyes scanned the package. It was a standard cardboard packaging box. On the top was his name written in black marker with her handwriting. He could recognize it easily. After all, he had kept that little note she left him the day of his provisional hero license exam, reading it over and over until her handwriting was engraved in his mind.

The package was of a decent weight. Upon shaking it gently, he heard something sliding along inside of it although it didn't seem like it was fragile. He bowed slightly in thanks, quickly rushing up to his room to set it down and then coming back to hear their stories about Ayano.

Along with his classmates, Bakugou intently listened to their every word. Although, it was mostly Asuka speaking with Kaito shortly interjecting every once in a while. As any proud parent would, she regaled them with stories of Ayano's accomplishments. She told them more in depth about her accomplishments that were broadcast on the news which Bakugou already knew of and she told them of ones that weren't, in which Bakugou eagerly listened.

After copious amounts of tea and conversation, Ayano's parents finally made to leave along with Bakugou's parents. "You better behave yourself over here, brat!" Mitsuki scolded her son.

The boy clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Yeah, whatever, you old hag." Turning to Ayano's parents, he bowed slightly in respect and in appreciation. He quickly turned around to hurry up to his room, itching to open the package.

As Asuka gazed at his retreating form, she giggled to herself. Mitsuki looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's so funny now, Asuka?" The blonde woman asked.

Asuka fanned her hand at her as she answered. "Oh, nothing! I was just thinking of something funny!" She then turned to look up at her husband. "I'm glad you mentioned that I shouldn't say anything else, dear. It might have really set him off!"

Mitsuki turned her head to her own husband with a questioning look. The man merely shrugged, also unsure of what they were referring to. The students still in the lounge were also curious.

The woman giggled again. "Truthfully, Ayano had something for all of her classmates…" She explained, surprising them. "…but because of all the restrictions and rules on I-Island, she was only able to send us off with Little Katsuki's gift. So, the rest of you will have to wait until she returns!"

Mitsuki shook her head with a smirk. "It's a good thing you didn't say anything then. No telling how that kid would've blown up."

Asuka smiled at her friend. "I was going to tease him too, but after seeing him, I think he's gone through enough without her here. He looked so cute rushing back to his room. Like a little kid that was finally able to go play with his new toy! Oh, I have to start planning their wedding!" She began excitedly mumbling details to herself, her husband gently pushing her out as he bowed to the students.

* * *

Bakugou rushed to his room, nearly slamming the door shut behind him. He stood in front of his bed, staring at the package sitting on it.

Unlike his hurried actions from just before, he handled the box with great care. Using a pair of scissors, he sliced it open with one sweep. His hands shook slightly as they lifted the flaps open.

His eyes were met with a circular disk, much like the one he received in the acceptance letter from U.A. It sat atop a stack of papers and next to several rolled up ones. At first glance, the stack of papers seemed to be a manual of some sort.

Carefully lifting up the circular disk, he noticed a small note taped to its underside.

 _Place on floor_

It was her handwriting again with a note that was just as succinct as her speech.

Following the short instructions, he placed the disk on the floor a few feet in front of him. He heard a clicking sound go off, followed by a projection being released from the base of the disk.

"Hello Katsuki…"

It was _her_.

He stumbled forward, his hand outstretched to reach her, only to swing through her form and feel the air. After all, it was just a hologram.

With how life-like the projection was and with how much he yearned for her after eight months, he had momentarily forgotten that fact.

He studied the hologram, taking in every bit that he could get. The first thing he noticed was her hair. It was long enough to be tied up into a messy bun. Like she had done it as quick as possible, much preferring to spend her time working on her inventions instead.

He smiled, seeing his gift threading through her hair.

She removed the hairband, her hair falling gracefully to flow slightly past her shoulders. Her fingers fiddled with the cloth before letting it tighten around her right wrist. Even then, her left hand stroked at it.

"Your gift has been very useful. Please be sure to send my thanks to Mei and Fujiyoshi-kun as well, though I know you probably won't." She chuckled, her hand coming up to grab at a few strands of her hair. "How is it? Does it suit me?" She asked rhetorically, referring to her now long hair.

 _Of course it does. Anything would._

"It has been quite a hindrance, but I will be sure to keep my promise to you. Other than this small inconvenience, my time on I-Island has been very productive. I have worked with many talented people, participated in various competitions, received several offers, and yet…at the end of the day, my thoughts always return to you…"

"Just a few more months…" She sighed out, her eyes glistening with longing. "I had promised myself that I would try my hardest not to think about you so that I could focus on my studies. Needless to say, I failed. The minute I did, I scoured the internet for every video, every article, every announcement about you." She gave the most tender and loving smile.

" **I'm so proud of you**."

Bakugou grit his teeth, his jaw tightening. He felt a slight sting at the back of his eyes, but he'd be damned if he let her beautiful image be blurred by tears.

Ayano's projection looked to be on the verge of tears as well. She gave a small laugh, although this time it seemed like a more pitiful one rather than one of humor. "What is wrong with me…" She mumbled and then cleared her throat to compose herself. "I see that you are working under Endeavor now. I expected no less. First Best Jeanist, and now Endeavor. You really are amazing."

 _No,_ _ **you're**_ _the amazing one._

"After watching so many videos, I brainstormed a few improvements to your costume. You'll find the details in the package my mother left you along with this recording."

Bakugou glanced at the box again, seeing the large stack of papers. She called those a _few_? He chuckled, thinking that it was just like her.

"Unfortunately, I could not make them myself, as the I-Island directors objected to it. We comprised, allowing me to send you just the blueprints and all the other details of your new costume. I am sure either Mei or Fujiyoshi-kun would be more than willing to try to figure out my designs. Or, if you prefer, you could request to have it made through U.A.'s affiliated support company. Although, I am uncertain as to how long that would take compared to my classmates."

Bakugou clicked his tongue in annoyance. He didn't like the idea of having to rely on someone other than her for his costume, but he supposed he had to make do. He certainly wasn't going to ask that preppy boy. That pink-haired girl seemed like she was dropped on her head as a baby, but he figured she was the better option of the two.

He flipped through the papers, seeing her drawings and many words he couldn't comprehend. Unrolling one of the larger papers, he saw a blueprint of his entire costume. He smirked, liking what he was seeing.

She most definitely was the amazing one here.

"There was meant to be more included in the package, but again, the I-Island directors objected. This was as much as I was permitted to send."

Bakugou smiled again, seeing the small bit of frustration on her face. He reveled in the fact that she would go through so much trouble just for him.

"I suppose I will just have to give everything else to you when I return. It won't be for much longer…Just a few more months…" She repeated, verbalizing what they both were thinking.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to gather her thoughts. Her eyes opened after a moment, staring straight ahead like she was looking right at him. "I will continue to do my best here at I-Island and keep my promises. In return, please be sure to do the same."

" **I love you, Katsuki."**

He heard a click, the projection fading back into the base of the circular disk. He stared at where she just was, his hands tightly holding onto the blueprints of his new costume. Getting up, he gathered all of the papers and marched towards the Development Studio to demand that Mei devote her efforts into recreating Ayano's work.

"…I love you, too…" He whispered into the air as he walked out.


End file.
